Loving Koshino
by AJ Maxwell
Summary: Koshino hated Sendoh's guts since they were kids, but Sendoh fell for him when they were teenagers. Now that he headed one of the biggest companies in Japan, family responsibilities bring them back together again. SenKosh, etc. Please review! :)
1. No Calm Before the Storm

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: My first SenKosh fic! (cheers) Please tell me what you think! I won't be going online for a while after I post this, because I really have to get my PC fixed. I promise I will reply to your comments, along with the second part, when my darling PC is back to top condition. ^__^

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter One: No Calm Before the Storm

It was another typical weekend for Koshino Hiroaki. He woke up at seven, had a breakfast that consisted of two pieces of toast, a glass of orange juice, and two glasses of water. Afterwards, he jogged his way to the grocery and bought supplies. He did some yoga exercises when he got back, and took a shower. When lunch came, he ate a light dish of steamed fish, rice, and vegetables. After making sure that he had taken care of everything, he got his laptop out and all documents concerning his work, and settled in for a long haul.

Koshino took his reading glasses off and massaged his temples. His head ached, but instead of taking a break, he thought about the consequences of paragraph 16 if he signed the contract, and if he had to go to the optometrist again to get a new prescription for his glasses. _Or maybe I should get my own set of advisers who could do all this reading for me so that I don't have to take these things and read them on a Sunday for godsakes! _

He'd thought of the same thing for several times already, and though the idea would help him in his work, he knew that he couldn't stand relying on other people when it concerned his father's company. He was just too much of a perfectionist, and he didn't trust other people in giving him opinions about data that involved his decision-making. What if they misinterpreted some of the sentences? Seemingly simple mistakes often led to major, life-changing outcomes, and he definitely didn't want to mess up.

He'd been called ramrod straight, high and mighty, super perfectionist, and even sadistic bastard by his peers in college, by his employees, and by his competitors, but he didn't care. He couldn't fail.

He just won't fail his father.

He put his glasses back on, and as he was about to make notes on the next paragraph, the phone rang.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Hiroaki." The man on the other line sounded as if he'd rather be doing anything else than calling him.

"Otousan."

"I just called to remind you of the dinner at the mansion tonight. Don't be late."

"I've never been--oh...as usual."

His father already hung up on him.

Koshino sighed.

**±**

He drove up to their family's mansion, which was an hour and forty minute drive from his own place, ten minutes earlier than the appointed time. One of their servants parked his car, a gray Lexus, in their underground parking lot, and he entered the house where he spent his younger years.

The servants greeted him. Koshino didn't know the new servants because it had been a some time ago since he visited the mansion. The old servants whom he knew had been replaced with younger ones. Back then, he had never felt at home in his own house. Now, he truly felt like an outsider. He sighed. _Why is it that I can't get myself out of affairs like this? The only one who talks to me is Uncle Hiroaki. Otousan just ignores me...why don't they have dinner by themselves instead of having me tag along, too? _

An old man came up to him, wearing a black and white coattail suit and a bowtie, and curtsied. "Koshino-san and Sendoh-san are in the living room."

"What living room?"

"The blue one, as usual." The butler smiled at him, and whispered quietly to him as if in secret, "It is good to see you again, Hiroaki."

He smiled back at his old friend. "Hai. It's good to see you, too, Jameson."

Jameson led the way to the blue living room where his father and his Uncle Hiroaki waited, with Koshino following at a distance.

The butler announced his arrival, and he entered. He greeted his father first with a bow, and then his uncle. After he bowed, his Uncle Hiroaki took him in his slightly wrinkled but strong arms and hugged him tight. "How have you been, Hiro?" he asked, and in his eyes were the concern that he always held for his best friend's son, his godson.

Koshino was touched by the old man's gesture, and all the tenseness and the weariness seeped out of him. He smiled warmly. "Fine, Uncle Hiroaki. How about you?" 

"I'm fine, I'm fine," the old man reassured him, patting his shoulder. 

"Shall we go to the dining room?"

"Iie," Koshino Akira replied, breaking his silence, and shook his head. "We're still waiting for another person." 

Koshino raised his eyebrows in surprise, but didn't ask who it was. He had thought that it was just going to be the three of them, just like how it had always been since he was in college. 

It was then that Sendoh Akira, his ex-childhood friend and bane of his existence, made his appearance by entering the living room unannounced. There was still the same smile on his face that annoyed Koshino out of his wits as he greeted them. "I'm back, everyone!"

**±**

Koshino felt like he had been dragged into a time machine and he went back to his high school days, when Koshino Akira and Sendoh Hiroaki reserved one day every month for a "family get-together", which he always dreaded. During said get-togethers, the two Akiras, Koshino's father and Sendoh, would converse animatedly, laughing and joking as if they were the same age. The two Hiroakis, however, would choose to focus on eating, with the older Hiroaki giving some input every now and then, and asking the younger one what he thought. But before Koshino would say anything, his own father would carry on with the conversation as if he wasn't there. 

"I think my son should have come back years ago and focused more on his studies," Sendoh Hiroaki was saying. He regarded Koshino. "Don't you think so, Hiro?"

Koshino Akira cleared his throat loudly, effectively cutting off whatever his son was going to say. "Akira is very talented in basketball. Why waste it here when he can go around the world? Haven't you been doing well in the U.S., Akira?"

Koshino mentally snorted. _Just like before._ He noticed his Uncle Hiroaki looking at him sadly. He sighed. As much as he loved his godfather, he had grown weary of always trying to reassure the old man. It already came to a point where his godfather's worrying looks made him feel worse than his father's treatment of him. _This is definitely too much like high school._

**±**

Sendoh Akira was laughing at one of his Uncle Akira's jokes, but he was secretly stealing glances at his ex-childhood friend and, as he discovered later on, his first and true love. Right then, he liked what he saw, as he admired Koshino in his blue-gray, double-breasted suit. _He looks even more of a pompous brat now than before I left, but he's still so cute. _He shifted his gaze to said brat's pouty lips, and almost licked his own, wanting to kiss those lips that so enchanted him.

"Akira." His godfather was looking quite sternly at him.

Sendoh blinked, and smiled sheepishly at the older Akira. "Gomen, Uncle. What was that again? The food is so good--I've never had food this great since I left for the U.S. Do you still hire the old chef, or did you hire a new one? This is just so good..."

**±**

Dinner was finally over. The two older men were talking to each other in the tea room, which left the younger men to their own devices. 

Koshino, who was relieved to be able to be by himself, got up and headed to the bar in the third floor. _I really need something to drink. I don't know how I lasted with company like that. Ugh. That Sendoh kept smiling like some loon getting off on cough syrup... _He shuddered. _I wish he never came back. _

After he poured himself some scotch, he downed it in one gulp, and felt his throat burn as the liquid went down. He sighed after the burning sensation left him, pleased with the warmth that the alcohol brought. He moved to pour himself another drink.

He knew that "the loon getting off on cough syrup" had followed him into the bar, so he wasn't surprised when said loon finally chose to reveal himself. "Hiro-kun. You got any beer there?" 

Koshino regarded him disinterestedly, but replied, "I don't know. Ask Jameson." Then he looked away, dismissing the other's presence. 

Sendoh looked put down, but then he smiled again. "Is this how you treat your long lost friend, Hiro-kun? You're treating me like I'm some useless bug here." 

The other man didn't even bother to look at him as he retorted, "If I was treating you like some useless bug, I'd have swatted you dead." 

The spiky-haired man laughed, and wrapped an arm around the shorter man's shoulders. "I love your sense of humor, Hiro-kun!" 

"Get your hands off me," Koshino said coldly, pushing the taller man's arm away. "And stop calling me that!" 

Sendoh gazed at him ruefully, and said, "Sou ka. No development there."

Koshino ignored his comment. He was silent for several seconds, and then, "With all the fuss that my father made about this dinner, I should've guessed that you've come back." 

"Ah. You're talking to me on your own free will. That's development enough."

"Shut up, Sendoh." 

"Oh, don't be so formal with me, Hiro-kun. We're best friends, ne?" 

A vein promptly showed itself on Koshino's forehead. "I said stop calling me that! And we're far from friends, you hentai!" 

Sendoh just grinned at him, saying, "That's what I missed most since I left--you getting all riled up and calling me a hentai." Then, his tone turned conspiratorial, almost seductive. "There's just something about your voice, your tone whenever you say the word 'hentai'. It really turns me on, you know." 

Koshino downed the rest of his drink, the alcohol burning a path down to his stomach, and stalked menacingly towards the taller man. Sendoh was a bit intimidated by the glare--hell, everything about Koshino Hiroaki made his knees weak--but he couldn't help but think how he missed the other man. 

"Sendoh?" Koshino's voice came out husky, and Sendoh had to bite the insides of his cheeks to keep his sanity. He held his breath as the other man came nearer...their noses touching, their lips a hairsbreadth from kissing... and Koshino looked up into his eyes. Sendoh felt like he was drowning, in a good way. "Yes?" 

"Drop dead, will you?" and Koshino walked out of the bar, heading to the tea room where their fathers were. 

He sighed. "No development there."

**±**

"Hiroaki, where did Akira go?"

Koshino fought against rolling his eyes at his father. "He's in the bar upstairs."

"Then go get him!" the older man barked. "We have something important to discuss."

He fumed silently. Ever since he moved out of the mansion, his patience for his father had reduced near to nil. _But why is it that I still keep doing what he asks? I need to get a backbone..._he thought, as he went back to the bar where he left the other man.

"Sendoh?" he called as he opened the door. "Sendoh, otousan is asking for you."

There was no answer.

He huffed irritably, and was about to look for Sendoh in other places when something in the balcony caught his eye. As he neared, he saw someone sprawled in the balcony. He quickened his steps to see who it was, his heart pounding and hoping that it wasn't the spiky-haired man. 

His eyes widened in horror as he saw Sendoh lying on the concrete, his bottle of beer rolling and spilling its contents not too far from him. "S-Sendoh?" 

Koshino knelt and shook the other man's shoulders, calling out his name over and over. He checked his breathing, and anxiety voraciously ate at him as he discovered that Sendoh wasn't breathing anymore. "Sendoh?! Oh god Sendoh wake up! Get up will you?! Get up!"

**±**

Sendoh inwardly cackled with glee as Koshino fussed over him and called his name. He knew that under that cold, mean attitude that seemed reserved only for him, Koshino did care for him. 

_I knew that you couldn't resist me even if you tried, Hiro-kun. Ah. There may be hope for us yet. _

He relished the concern in the other man's voice. He missed him so much, and then when he heard a sniffle, his blue eyes suddenly opened in shock. A scene so rare was playing before him.

Koshino was crying. "Sendoh...I did say drop dead, but...oh god this is all my fault!" 

Sendoh looked at him, bewildered and infinitely touched. He couldn't help reaching out to catch those drops of tears, and murmuring, "Hiro-kun?" 

Koshino snapped at attention, his tears still running freely down his cheeks. It took a few seconds for the fact that Sendoh was very much alive to sink in, and when it did, a fierce look stole upon him. "Why you...you---BAKAYAROU! Sendoh, I'm going to kill you!" And then lunged at Sendoh, straddling the taller man and sitting near the pelvic region, his hands wrapping around the other man's throat. 

Sendoh would have made a remark about not minding Koshino being on top, and that he liked the sudden aggressiveness, if he wasn't being strangled mercilessly. "Hiro-kun...ack stop...Hiro *coughs* Hiro-kun stop *wheezes* You're going to kill me!" 

"That's what I said," Koshino said grimly, squeezing Sendoh's neck harder.

"Hiro-kun...!" He was too shocked to move and fight Koshino off him and, not without humiliation, the wriggling that the other man was making was eliciting a reaction from a particular region below. _Unbelievable. He's making me hard even if he's trying to kill me._

"KOSHINO HIROAKI!" 

Their fathers found them. Koshino's father, though aged and not that bigger than him, savagely threw him off Sendoh without much effort and went to Sendoh's side. Koshino landed by his Uncle Hiroaki's feet, and he was fussed over by the old man. "Hiro? What happened? Are you all right?" 

The rage in his eyes were gone, only to be replaced by immense pain, betrayal, and hate as he saw his own father being so worried of Sendoh Akira. _Just like before._ The tears on his face felt like ice to him, and he quickly brushed them away. 

His Uncle Hiroaki's face loomed over him. "Hiro?" the old man asked uncertainly. Koshino shook his head. "Please don't worry. I'm okay," he said, and stood up shakily. His father was still fussing over Sendoh. _You always win, Sendoh Akira. How I hate you. _

His Uncle Hiroaki led him away from the balcony, and looked deeply into his eyes. Koshino felt like crying again, but held back his tears. "Hiro...will you tell me what happened?"

Koshino shook his head in negation, to which the old man sighed. "You'll tell me when you're ready, ne?" 

At this, Koshino nodded. 

"Wouldn't it be possible for the two of you to get along somehow? You've been at each other's throats since you were kids...Won't you call a truce? It wouldn't do for the company for two of its top executives to not be in good terms." 

Koshino stayed mute, and then, as the words sank in, so seeped the feeling of dread into his body. "N-nani?" He looked at the older Hiroaki's eyes and found the hated confirmation there. "Masaka. It can't..." but he knew that it was useless to argue. He had always known that sooner or later, Sendoh Akira would take his father's place in the company that their fathers owned. He had known all along that working side by side with his hated rival was inevitable, but he'd been so busy the past several years that it thoroughly slipped his mind. He shook his head in a futile attempt to deny everything, but he knew the truth...and, not for the first time, he felt like sinking into the earth to die.

* * *

Finished May 28, 2002


	2. Momentary Truce

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: I just got my computer back yesterday. I'm sorry this took so long...

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Two: Momentary Truce

Koshino Hiroaki stepped into the elevator the next day with a huge headache. He sorely wanted to take a day off, but he remembered that he had this top-priority lunch meeting with one of their potential major investors that he just couldn't miss. He might be loathing the whole world right then, with Sendoh Akira _and_ his own father Koshino Akira at the top of his black list, but he just couldn't let himself neglect his work. It was the only thing that tied him down to normalcy, and considering what had happened the night before, his life was veering far from what he had gotten used to in the past several years. 

_Why did he have to come back?_ he asked himself again. It was one of the questions that robbed him of much-needed sleep. _He could've just stayed in the U.S. and play basketball forever--no one could've stopped him if he chose to. Uncle Hiroaki might be disappointed in him, but Sendoh always got what he wanted. _

He closed his eyes for a second, inwardly cursing for forgetting to put on his contact lenses before he came to work. _Good thing I have my spare reading glasses in my drawer..._

"Koshino-san? Are you all right? You don't look very well..."

He quickly looked up, the sudden movement making him reel. The woman tried to hold him steady, and when he found that his vision was not swimming anymore, he nodded slowly. "I'm fine. I just need some coffee," he said, smiling graciously.

The woman smiled back, worry still evident in her eyes. "I saw Jin by his desk earlier. You'll get your coffee soon."

"That's good to hear."

The conversation did little to alleviate his bad mood, and the tension that he felt rose with the steady ascent of the elevator. He was well aware that it was Sendoh's first day in the company. His Uncle Hiroaki briefed him the night before, and though his head still swam of awful thoughts, most of it sank in. _So he'll have to be trained for the first six months. Incompetent bastard. He flies off to play basketball and disappears for seven years, and now he just comes back and be vice president? It wouldn't be so easy for him now. I slaved in college and in taking up my master's degree while working from the bottom for my training, and now that _I_ am given the task of showing him the ropes... _

The doors slid open, and Koshino stepped out, a sadistic smile on his face.

±

Jin Soichiro spotted the familiar form of his boss and friend, Koshino Hiroaki, and quickly stood up from his chair. He had to tell him first of Sendoh's intrusion into his office, and that the man was inside waiting for him. _From what Hiroaki told me, he really hated Sendoh-san. I tried to stop him and told him to wait in his own office, but the man just wouldn't budge. Hiroaki's going to kill me when-- _"Koshino-san," he greeted formally as the company's President walked past him, seemingly preoccupied. 

He abruptly noticed that there was something peculiar in his friend's mood. _ Wait. He's not scowling like he usually does in the morning, and he doesn't look like his always immaculate self. What's wrong with him? _

He ran to catch up with Koshino, but the other man had already opened his office door and stepped inside.

_Oops._

±

"Ohayo, Hiro--kun!"

Koshino whipped his head around to find the source of all his misery sitting comfortably on his chair, with feet propped up on his desk. The corner of his right eye twitched at the unwelcome sight, and he resisted the urge to throw those feet off his desk.

He closed his eyes again, and took deep calming breaths. When he opened them, the same unwanted sight greeted him with an eternally cheerful smile. "Sendoh," he acknowledged, not even bothering to mask the note of irritation in his voice.

The other man continued smiling at him.

_I wonder what drug he's on. _He couldn't fight the sour look that stole upon his features as he sauntered up to his desk, and gestured sharply at Sendoh's feet. 

Sendoh silently complied, taking his feet down with a rueful grin.

"Why are you here? And get out of my chair."

The spiky-haired VP-in-training opted to stay seated, unperturbed. "I've been waiting for you."

Koshino didn't answer, and Sendoh cheered inside. _Good. He doesn't seem as angry at me as before. If he was acting normally I'm sure he would've taken the opportunity and shoved me against the glass walls to fall headfirst to my death, and to hell with his precious chair. Maybe he'd vented enough last night. I really thought he was going to kill me...but if he'll be so agreeable like this, I'll be glad to let him do it again. _He inwardly rolled his eyes. _Just shows how crazy I am about him._

Koshino was looking at him, suspicion evident in his piercing gaze. The other man was grinning to himself, as if he was infinitely pleased about something. _He must be up to no good, with that smile...kawaii...he looks so free when he smiles like that. So free...not like me. _When he realized that he'd been thinking of how cute Sendoh was, he mentally smacked himself. _Baka ne! Why are you thinking like that?! Sendoh Akira is certainly NOT cute! He's... "_He's a damn nuisance!" he unwittingly said aloud.

"Nani? Who's a nuisance?"

Koshino shook his head as if to clear it, and said, "You. Who else?"

Sendoh just smiled disarmingly at him, and Koshino mentally smacked himself again as he felt the faintest blush on his cheeks. _Why am I acting so weird like this? This is insane! Maybe headache, lack of sleep, and skipping breakfast causes severe mental damage? Hm. That must be it...That _should _be it, or something similar... not something _else.

"So, how about breakfast, Hiro-kun?"

"Iie," Koshino automatically declined. "I have a lot to do. _We_ have a lot to do."

Sendoh got out of the chair and made his way to stand next to the other man. "But Hiro-kun! I haven't eaten yet!"

Koshino snorted. "Whose fault is that?" Right after the words left his mouth, his stomach grumbled loudly. Koshino winced, and when he looked up, Sendoh was grinning triumphantly at him. 

"So breakfast it is!" With that, the taller man dragged Koshino out of the office and into the closest elevator. The employees stared in surprise--no one dared to touch their boss like that.

Jin stared wide-eyed at his bosses as they walked past his desk. _What's going on?!_

Everyone's eyes stayed on the pair until they boarded the empty elevator, and before it finally slid closed, they heard their boss scream, "Get your hands off me, you hentai!"

±

Sendoh gazed fondly at the man before him, who was obviously still fuming while shoveling food into his mouth. _Now I'm sure he's not mad at me anymore. If he was, then he wouldn't have conceded to have breakfast with me...he _did _struggle and he made my ears ring with his shouting in the elevator, but he wouldn't have cared to stop just because other people started coming in if he was really angry....right? Right. _"Slow down, Hiro-kun. You might choke."

It was as if the words had power, because right after saying the words, Koshino choked and coughed.

Sendoh's eyes widened in alarm and quickly waved for the waiter to get them some more water while he pounded Koshino's back with his palm. 

±

Sendoh gazed fondly at the man before him, whose aggravation had doubled since his choking fit. 

Koshino, meanwhile, was glaring daggers at Sendoh, who looked as if Koshino was crooning sweet nothings over coffee, instead of scowling at him to death. They lasted like that for a few minutes, when Koshino finally couldn't take any more of it, and broke the silence. "Why are we here, anyway?" he snapped. 

Blue eyes blinked at him, and out flowed Sendoh's smooth, sexy laugh, as if no one tried to throttle him the night before. 

Koshino blushed, and glared some more. "Well?" 

Sendoh shrugged, and replied, "We just had breakfast, didn't we?" 

A muscle jumped in Koshino's right cheek, which Sendoh noticed. He held out his hands in a placating gesture, and said, "That was a joke, Hiro-kun. Loosen up!" 

"I don't have time for jokes, Sendoh, and stop calling me that," Koshino gritted out. "Tell me the real reason why we're here." 

"Okay." The other man finally gave in, looking more uncomfortable by the second. "Because we need to talk." 

Koshino would have rolled his eyes if he wasn't disturbed with the discovery that he wasn't used to not seeing Sendoh smile. "I gathered as much," he replied distractedly. "Go on." 

"I just wanted to talk to you...about last night." 

He visibly froze. _Is he going to ask me why I strangled him? Is he insane? Who wouldn't be so pissed with him after pulling a stupid stunt like that?! He nearly gave me a heart attack, that jerk! _

Sendoh continued, oblivious to Koshino's reaction. "Last night, I...I'm sorry." It was then that he looked into Koshino's eyes, and repeated his apology. "I'm sorry for doing that. I knew it wasn't very nice, and that it was really childish of me. I just want you to know that I hate seeing you cry, Hiro-kun." 

Koshino blinked, and a hot flush stole up his face to the roots of his hair. He was so put off guard by those earnest blue eyes that he forgot to deny that he had cried, and that he should be demanding not to be called 'Hiro-kun'. "Ah, uhm..okay," he mumbled instead, still red as a tomato. 

When he got to his bearings, he tried to salvage what was left of his dignity...tried too hard was more like it. "But I wasn't really worried about _you_, you know," he said airily. "I was more worried about otousan and Uncle Hiroaki finding out that you're dead, because they'd be really crushed, you know? Especially otousan...er, scratch that. Especially your father...er...I'm not really sure who'd be more crushed, but you _do _know my father treats you like his own son, ne? He treats you better than his own son...anyway, it would've been such a mess if you really died in the balcony, because we'd have to clean you up and just imagine what the papers would say! I wouldn't be surprised if my own father accused me of killing you just because I found you first, and imagine what hell Jameson would have to go through if you really died there. My closest family are old men, Sendoh, and they're fragile with their heart diseases and stuff. You should really go easy on them, you know, with your stunts that aren't for the weak-hearted--"

"You're beautiful, you know that?" Sendoh interjected, effectively breaking Koshino's babbling with his words and reverent tone. His right index finger stroked the back of Koshino's hand back and forth.

Koshino blinked, and blinked again. He felt a tingling start from where Sendoh was touching him so gently, spreading throughout his skin, reaching his throat, caressing his heart. The sensation tickled his lips into a smile, but before it could fully show, he bit his lower lip. _What's happening?!_ his brain thought in panic. It was like he was separated to four parts: his body, which demanded to get more of that touch; his heart, which wanted to burst and shower confetti and announce its happiness; his soul, which wanted to drown in the breathtaking blue eyes before him and meld with the soul behind it; and his mind, which was in a frenzy in denying and trying to stop the other three parts in doing what it thought were the craziest things on earth. _I hate him, don't I? _his mind reminded him. _I hate him...I hate......_

Sendoh's touch changed, still feather-light, but conveying as much of his bottled-up feelings as he could. Koshino's heart leapt at this, and he was all the more confused with what he was feeling from the simple caress. _I...why did I hate him again? _His mind was overcome by his other three parts that ganged up on it. His reasons--he knew he had his reasons why he absolutely detested the man before him, but for the moment he couldn't remember.

Hope sparked within Sendoh. He drank in the warring emotions in Koshino's eyes; it was obvious that he was confused, and Sendoh knew that Koshino was not yet ready to acknowledge whatever feelings he had for him. This saddened him a bit, but he could wait. _I know you're not yet ready for big things like that, Hiro-kun, but please give me a chance. Give yourself a chance, onegai. _He stopped the pattern that he was making on the fair skin beneath his finger, and when this seemed to alert the other man for a second, he drew letters, relaying his message through touch. _Truce?_

The word echoed in his mind. Each letter throbbed, in sync with the beating of his heart. Mesmerized, he nodded once, and then his lips curved into a small smile.

* * *

Finished July 28, 2002


	3. When Past's Ghosts Come Haunting

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: Thank you so much for the reviews. ^__^ (coughs) And I apologize to Rukawa fans for what I did to him in this fic and uhm...(hides) I hope people are still reading this...

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Three: When Past's Ghosts Come Haunting

Koshino Hiroaki emerged from the elevator with a positive skip in his steps, his features glowing. His spiky-haired Vice-President-in-training was right behind him, and there was a pleased smile on his lips. This did not go unnoticed by the employees, and most of them were surprised at the sudden turn of events. They used to see their Koshino-san always blowing his top off because of their Sendoh-san, but after a few weeks of relentless cajoling and coercing from the taller executive, Koshino finally relented. It was a good sight for them to see their boss in such a good mood.

Both had just arrived from having lunch that day, and judging from the look on their faces, it would seem that everything had gone perfectly. 

They first stopped by Sendoh's office, where his assistant, Aida Hikoichi, greeted both of them. He was just about to tell him something else, when Sendoh just nodded at him, saying "I'll be there in a sec. Go." 

"But--" 

Sendoh pointedly looked at him, and Hikoichi shut up and went back to his table. 

"Well, I'll be going back to my office now," Koshino said, and turned on his heel to go to his office.

"Wait, Hiro-kun." 

Koshino stopped, and looked over his shoulder. "Yes, Sendoh?" 

The way Koshino's hair moved as he turned around, and the way his eyes looked at him made Sendoh's heart skip a beat. "I--er, would you like to have dinner with me later?" 

The other man blinked. "Dinner?" 

Sendoh nodded. "H-hai, dinner. We've been having breakfast and lunch together for three weeks now, and I thought, why not have dinner together as well?" He smiled. "My treat." 

Koshino smiled tentatively, then replied, "I'll have to check with Jin first. I might have a dinner appointment later. I'll give you my answer later, okay?" 

"Okay." 

Koshino walked away, and Sendoh was left grinning to himself.

**±**

Koshino had butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he reached his office. The dreamy smile on his face did not go unnoticed by his personal assistant and friend, Jin Soichiro, and the doe-eyed man followed his boss into the office, and closed it shut. "So? What happened?" he asked a bit excitedly. 

Koshino turned to face him, eyes alight with a wonderful secret, and said, "He asked me to dinner!" he said in a suppressed squeal. Then, as if only realizing his out of character behavior, he just shook his head and grinned. "He asked me to dinner!" he absolutely squealed. "What am I going to do?! What am I going to say to him, Soichiro? Oh, I really want to go...! Please don't tell me that I have an appointment later!" 

Jin chuckled at his friend's antics. He'd seldom seen Koshino act so uninhibited and so..._schoolgirlish_. He loved it that his friend was finally in love with someone else. _Maybe now that he has Sendoh-san he'd move on and forget Maki Shinichi. Now _that _relationship is just bound to go nowhere, not that Maki-san is too bad. They're just...they're always on again, off again. I do wonder if either one of them is really tired of it all. _"Jin Soichiro?!"

"H-hai? Sorry, I was just thinking of something. What was that?" 

"What am I going to do?" the other man continued his nervous ranting. "I really want to say yes, but--" 

"But what?" 

"I'm...I'm just..."Koshino looked up at him, eyes tainted with insecurity. "What if this is all just a trick? What if he's still the exact same Sendoh Akira from high school?" 

"Oh!" Jin scoffed. "That was high school, as you said. People change, Hiro-kun." 

At this, Koshino blushed, and his eyes misted over. 

Jin looked at him curiously. "What's wrong with you?" 

The other man just shook his head, and said, "It's just that he always calls me that." 

Jin grinned at his friend. "Kami-sama, you're really in love with him, aren't you?" 

Koshino looked as if he was suddenly drenched with cold water. "In love?" he asked incredulously. He blinked, and murmured to himself, as if testing the idea aloud. "Love...?" 

Just then, the phone rang. Jin hurried to answer it, and suddenly looked uncomfortable. 

"Who is it?" Koshino asked, noting the immediate change in his friend. 

The other man pushed the Hold button, and mumbled, "It's Maki. Are you going to talk to him? I can just tell him that you're busy..." 

"No, it's okay. I can handle it." Koshino took the receiver and pressed a button. "Shinichi? Hi. How are you?" 

Jin grimaced at the way his friend addressed his ex-boyfriend. _Still _way _too friendly for greeting an ex. What if Hiroaki gets all confused again and gets back with Maki? What if-- _

"Dinner tonight?" Koshino looked at his friend right then, and saw Jin frantically shaking his head and mouthing a vehement "NO". He smiled. "I'm sorry, Shinichi. I'm......yes. Okay. Ja ne." He put the phone down, and said, "I think I'm going to give Sendoh's answer now."

**±**

Sendoh was still smiling to himself when he walked toward his office. Almost instantly, Hikoichi was right by his side, as if to report something of grave importance. He waved his assistant's words off even before they were uttered, and said, "I'm in a really good mood today, Hikoichi. Please tell me whatever it is _later._ I still have to plan the most romantic dinner one could ever imagine." 

"B-but--" 

"_Later._" And then he opened the door, only to find his ex-boyfriend waiting for him inside. The man was seated comfortably on his plush leather couch, fox eyes regarding him with a watchful stare. Sendoh just stood like a statue by the door, his smile gone. "Aren't you going to welcome your boyfriend back, Akira?"

**±**

Koshino felt like skipping his way to Sendoh's office, but restrained himself from doing anything that would be degrading. It would just be horrible for his employees to think that their boss had finally gone nuts. _Must still keep appearances, even though I do think that I've finally gone nuts. Why the hell is Sendoh making me feel this way? _

Sendoh's assistant was not at his table when the President-CEO reached his destination. _Oh well. I'll just surprise him. I wonder how he will react._ He opened the door, and froze. The scene that he was witnessing felt surreal, but there was no mistaking the torrid kiss that Sendoh Akira was engaging with..._Rukawa Kaede?_ his memory supplied. 

Koshino felt nothing then. Contrary to what other people thought of him, he did not throw a fit, nor did he feel angry and mentally utter all available expletives to man, plus more. Instead, he calmly stepped out, and left the door slightly ajar. 

He passed by Jin, who was looking at him inquiringly. _Why the sudden change? _Jin was just about to follow Koshino into the office, when he heard the distinct click of the lock. _This is bad. I'll ask Sendoh-san. _He made his way to his other boss' office, and saw the answer through the gap of the door. He was deflated.

**±**

Maki Shinichi sat gazing at the phone on his desk. His Hiroaki had said no. He sighed to himself, and ran his fingers through his rich coffee-brown hair. _Am I too late? Has he found someone else? God, I hope not. Not now that things are going my way._

He leaned back in his chair, just staring at nothing. It seemed to him as if eternity was passing him by, not doing anything. It was then that his mobile phone rang. "Moshi moshi..." he greeted dryly, forgetting to check who was calling. Then, like a light switch, his mood changed from dejected to thrilled. A chuckle escaped his full lips as he replied, "Oh it's okay, Hiroaki. I understand. I'm glad that you called me up when you found out that you're not busy...Nani? You want me to come pick you up right now? Iie. I don't have any appointment right now...yes until later... You're shocked that I'm not laden with work? ...Hai. I have good news, but I prefer to tell you after dinner. Be there in fifteen, at the latest....Don't you know? I'd beat every traffic light for you. Oh, Hiroaki?...ai shiteiru."

**±**

Sendoh broke free of Rukawa's stifling embrace, and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. A glare found its place on his usually smiling face, but the other man ignored it. 

"Why do you have to pretend, Akira? You know you want me back." 

"You're wrong, Rukawa--"

"So, it's Rukawa now..."

"--I have a new life now, and it doesn't include you, or your precious basketball." 

"I can see that," Rukawa answered, his eyes appraising the tastefully decorated office. "Nice place you got here," he said offhandedly, and tilted his head to one side. "I bet you must feel caged in. And look at you. You hate suits, but you're trapped in one. Let's go back, Akira. You don't belong here." 

"I don't want to go back," he snapped. "And if ever I want to go back, it certainly won't be _with _you." 

Rukawa snorted at this. "You're making a terrible mistake." 

"_You're_ making the wrong assumption," he shot back, then gestured to the door. "Leave, Rukawa." 

The other man just shrugged, and made his way to the door. As he was about to pull it further open, he turned around to face Sendoh. "By the way, your...friend saw us. You should see what it was that he needed." 

"N-nani?" He felt cold all of a sudden. _Was it Hiro-kun? I hope it was only Hikoichi..._

Seeing the question in his eyes, Rukawa leveled his hand in an approximation of Koshino's height. Sendoh's eyes widened in distress, and cursed. He charged out of the room, intent on finding out if it was really Koshino who saw them, and Rukawa wordlessly opened the door wider for him.

**±**

Jin was canceling all of Koshino's appointments for that day and the next, as per his boss' orders, when he saw the spiky-haired man stalking towards his direction. He couldn't help his visage turning sour at the sight of the cheating...bastard...jerk who hurt his friend. _I've changed my mind. My vote is on Maki-san. At least he never went behind Hiroaki's back whenever they were together...it's just that he's too much like Hiroaki. He's too work-driven like my friend. I hope both of them will change. They could be so perfect together. _

He saw Sendoh trying to open Koshino's door, and cleared his throat. "Koshino-san is busy tonight," he informed his other boss, his face devoid of its usual friendly expression. 

Sendoh's face fell. "Honto? Can't he cancel it or something?" 

"Iie." Jin busied himself with arranging his things. 

"But I need to talk to him right now. Why's he locking himself in there?"

"Excuse me," came a smooth, self-assured voice. "Jin. Could you please tell your boss that I'm already here?" 

Jin smiled up at Maki Shinichi, and nodded. "Sure thing."

**±**

Sendoh shot his Hiro-kun's assistant a dubious look. _I can't believe this guy. He almost froze me with his attitude earlier, and now he's almost falling over himself to call Hiro-kun for this guy? And who's this new guy, anyway? I've never seen him around here before...must be a client. He _must_ be a client. Maybe I can talk him into rescheduling? I really need to talk to Hiro-kun. _

He faced the shorter, yet more well-built man who carried himself like an emperor in his double-breasted suit. He suddenly felt like he was twelve again. "Uh, excuse me. Are you Koshino-san's client? You see--" 

"Shinichi." 

Sendoh whirled around at the sound of Koshino's voice, and he was mesmerized by the wide smile on his Hiro-kun's lips. _Are we okay? I hope it wasn't him who saw me with that Rukawa. I love seeing him smile like that..._

"Hiro," Maki greeted simply, his hand enclosing Koshino's. 

The very informal greeting and the familiar gesture did not get past Sendoh, and he was scowling in confusion. _Okay. Maybe they've done transactions before. Maybe they're friends...close friends. Fine. I can take that...He's not a boyfriend, is he...? Hiro-kun has never mentioned anything about a boyfriend..._

"Let's go, Shinichi." 

"Wait!" Sendoh blurted out. "Aren't you going to introduce me to him, Hiro-kun?" _There. Now he'll think of my association with Hiro-kun. _

"Oh," was the disinterested comment, and this made Sendoh all the more frantic. _What's wrong? Maybe he _did_ see us! _

"Shinichi, that's Sendoh Akira. He's Uncle Hiroaki's son. Sendoh, this is Maki Shinichi, my--" Koshino slightly flushed, to which Maki smiled indulgently. "Boyfriend?" he supplied hopefully, his thumb gently smoothing over Koshino's knuckles. One of the corners of Koshino's mouth curled up a bit. He answered with a quick nod, and Maki grinned at him blissfully. "You just made my life perfect, Hiro." 

"Oh?" 

"I'll tell you after dinner..." Maki regarded Sendoh, and slightly raised an eyebrow at the other man's facial expression. "So you're the famous Sendoh Akira. Hiro told me a lot about you. Nice meeting you." 

They walked away as if they were the only people in the world, and this vexed Sendoh to no end. 

"Oh, by the way, Sendoh." 

He looked up eagerly, finding that Koshino had stopped and was looking over his shoulder. 

His heart skipped a beat, still daring to hope, "Hai?" but the other man's next words were like sobering iced water to him. 

"Please send my regards to Rukawa-kun."

* * *

Finished January 11, 2003


	4. A Day's Truancy

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: More MakiKosh here. :) Thank you to all of you for the reviews! :D

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Four: A Day's Truancy

"Where's your car? Are you just going to leave it here?" 

Koshino glanced at Maki first before replying. "I didn't bring it."

"Ah." 

He knew the next question, but waited for his boyfriend to ask. When they reached Maki's black Jaguar, he stepped aside as the older man unlocked and held the door open for him, and the act made him smile. It was one of the little things that endeared Maki Shinichi to him. Holding doors open for him, massaging his shoulders, preparing scented baths for two, cooking him dinner, and sending SMS every five hours telling him to take things easy, even though Koshino knew that the other man was doing the opposite of it, were only some of the things that he truly loved about Maki. It amazed him how his Shinichi could do all those things, what with all the stress that he was subjected to. If Koshino's work ran him ragged by the end of the week, Maki's work was even more. 

"How did you get to work?" was the anticipated question. 

He buckled his seatbelt first, then answered. "Sendoh picked me up this morning and we had breakfast together." 

"And this has been going on...?" 

Koshino glanced at Maki again, gauging the expression on his face. "Roughly a month." 

Maki looked a bit startled. "Everyday?" 

He swallowed the growing lump in his throat as he noticed the hard set of Maki's jaw. "Yes." 

"I see." Maki started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. 

He bit back the proverbial "It's not what you think" speech, preferring to hear Maki's questions. It was really because he didn't want to seem defensive about it, because there was really nothing to be defensive about. _Right. Really nothing. _

They sat in the car in silence, and somewhere along the way, Koshino turned on the radio, the lack of reaction from Maki making him sweat amid the expensive car's superb air conditioning system. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "Aren't you supposed to ask some things?" 

"Aren't you supposed to be telling me some things?" was the bland retort. 

"It's not what you think," he blurted out, and grimaced. He plowed ahead anyway, wanting the issue to be over and done with. "We've been having breakfast every morning, because he's always pestering me about not eating breakfast--" 

"And how about lunch?" Maki fought to keep his calm. "Does he drive you home, too? Everyday for a month?" 

"Well...not exactly a _month_," Koshino said in defense, his voice sounding weak to his ears. 

Maki was silent again, and Koshino worried his lower lip, feeling the strong urge to bolt out of the car and pummel Sendoh until none of those spikes on his head were left upright. 

"Is this a bad time?" Maki hesitantly asked him. "Are you...developing something with him?" 

"Hell no!" he exploded, but there was a voice at the back of his mind that was taunting him the opposite. "I'm not--he's not...I mean, Shinichi," he drew out the other man's name imploringly. "You _do _remember the things I told you about him, right? How can I be developing something with him? The guy's the thorn in my throat, for crying out loud!" he said, exasperated. "And he has a boyfriend, okay? You don't need to feel threatened because of him." 

"So if he didn't have a boyfriend, I should feel threatened?" Maki commented dryly.

"Shini-chan!" he almost whined, using his nickname for his boyfriend. He whacked the nearest part of Maki that he could reach, which was his left arm that was settled on the gear shift. "You're not working with me here!" 

Maki's lips quirked up a bit, amused at his boyfriend's transformation. "You're not telling me what I want to hear, Hiro," he said meaningfully. 

Koshino blinked up at him, and relented. Smiling, he said, "You don't need to feel threatened by him, or by anyone, because I love you, Maki Shinichi." 

Maki finally smiled, and tilted Koshino's face for a chaste kiss on the lips. "I love you, too, Koshino Hiroaki," he whispered, and kissed him again, pouring all the love that he felt into that one melding of mouths. 

_How could I have been so stupid to even think that anything could surpass something so perfect as this? Our responsibilities got in the way so many times before--our fathers always got in the way... We might even cool it off again in a month's time, but nothing could possibly be more perfect than having the man who knows me soul-deep, who loves me more than life itself, by my side. _Koshino felt Maki pulling away, and he let out a sound of displeasure. His arms found their way around Maki's neck again, and pulled him back for another kiss. 

"Hiro," Maki protested, growing more anxious by the second. The furious honking of cars behind them grew louder, and he had to do something before angry motorists pound their fists on his window. 

It was then that Koshino noticed his boyfriend's lack of participation, and pulled away. "What's the matter?" he asked, a wounded note creeping into his voice. 

"I have to drive," Maki replied apologetically. To this, Koshino blinked confusedly. "But the light's red." 

"Nani?" True enough, the green light had already turned red. Maki just shrugged. He leaned towards Koshino again, and the other man leaned sideward to meet him halfway. He grinned. "So, where were we again?"

**±**

"I think you should pick up your jaw from the floor, Sendoh-san." 

Sendoh frowned. "You know, you're not very nice," he said to Jin Soichiro, who only ignored him, nose in the air. 

He quickly made his way back into his office, irritated as he'd never been in years. Once inside, he closed the door and draped himself over a couch. He replayed the scene of Koshino and Maki walking side by side, holding hands and smiling sweetly at each other. It made him feel sick. _Now I'm sure Hiro-kun _ did _ see us. I could have explained to him and everything would've been fine, but who's this Maki anyway? He said boyfriend, but... _At the thought, he felt like his heart launched itself to land with a sickening plop on his feet. He slammed his fist onto the back of the couch, which resounded with an airy puff. _He can't be Hiro-kun's boyfriend. He just can't! _

He got up after a while, his face determined. He went to his desk and picked up the phone. He pushed the button for the intercom, and said. "Hikoichi, come in here. I need to ask you some things."

**±**

The shining half moon looked like a golden bowl floating in the sky, and the stars that were peppered around it were like steam that floated up from the magical concoction inside it. Koshino sighed at the sight, and snuggled even deeper into Maki's embrace. The two of them made quite a picture; serene, content, and in love, all under the beautiful moonlit sky. The tree leaves rustled like music, caressed by the graceful night wind. Everything was just so peaceful, so perfect, but there was an underlying turmoil hidden by Koshino's half-lidded eyes. 

He still quite couldn't believe that he was now presented with the perfect situation, the perfect opportunity, to be free and finally be completely happy. Back then, when he and Maki used to talk about their plans, half of him did not dare to hope. He thought that just having Maki in his life was all the best that could ever happen to him. He never thought that being free of the pressure, of his father that tied him down all his life, was possible, but Maki proved him wrong once again.

_He's my savior; that's what he is, and he loves me...but now...Sendoh..._

Sendoh confused him. He couldn't believe that spending only barely a month with the man already planted doubts in him. He couldn't believe that he was presently torn between running away with Maki and getting the freedom he'd always wanted, and staying in the company, letting himself be tied down by his father's expectations, even just to be in the same building as Sendoh.

It was crazy. Koshino had never been crazy like that before.

"Hiro-chan?" Maki whispered in his ear.

"Hmm?"

Maki planted feather-light bites on his right earlobe, and asked, "Are you happy?"

There was no other acceptable answer but, "Hai. Of course I am." _Of course I am. I am..._

The half lie echoed over and over in his mind.

"...are you sure?"

Koshino heard the rare uncertainty in Maki's voice, and the slight suspicion. He frowned, and shifted to face him. "Yes. Why shouldn't I?"

Maki touched his forehead against Koshino's, and then his lips against his lips. 

Koshino felt Maki's lips against his curving into a tentative smile. Maki murmured, "I'm sorry. I don't know...maybe it's just me... It's funny, but... I--it's just that you feel different, Hiroaki."

"Different?"

"Hai."

"How...different?"

Maki shook his head. "I don't know."

"Maybe you're just tired, Shinichi. It's been a long day." 

"Hai...maybe that's it."

Koshino pulled away and stood up from their sitting position on the grass. He offered his hand to Maki, and said, "Let's go home."

**±**

Sendoh felt bitter defeat as he'd never had in years. He had finished purging Hikoichi of all knowledge on Koshino's relationship with Maki Shinichi, and from what his assistant had told him, the two had been together since college. _They've been together since Hiro-kun's first year in college. So that's...seven years, I guess. Exactly the same time I'd been gone... That Maki's got a real head-start on me... Hiro-kun and I may have been childhood friends, and we may have gone to the same school 'til high school...not to mention that our fathers are the best of friends in the whole of Japan, but..._

He took another swig of his rum as he browsed through the notebook that Hikoichi submitted to him. _It says here that for the past two years, the two of them had split up for 11 times--whoa that's a lot! _He frowned at this. _What's wrong with them? But why do they still keep getting back together?!_ He studied the entries on the table under the heading "Cause", and frowned even deeper. Out of the 11 split-ups, six had been due to the couple's fathers, while the rest had been caused by work. "Now, why is that?" he wondered aloud. He knew that his Uncle Akira, Koshino's father, had always been distant to his own son. _But I never thought that he'd actually meddle with Hiro-kun's relationships....six times in two years... Hmm, maybe he doesn't approve of this Maki being with Hiro-kun..._

The thought of his favorite uncle (even if said uncle is his only uncle) gravely disapproving of his rival lifted Sendoh's spirits a little. This gave him hope. _Well, if Uncle Akira disapproves so much, there must be something wrong about Maki, which means that, if there's something wrong with the other half of the relationship, it won't be successful in the end, which means I still have a chance! _

He recalled what had happened during the day. He remembered how Rukawa barged into his life again, and how he almost permanently ruined his chances with his Hiro-kun. _I've waited for a long time...I've been waiting since we were teenagers for Hiro-kun to give me a chance. The past few weeks had been heaven. Hiro-kun had been responding positively to my advances...I just _know_ that he'll give me a chance! Now, to take care of this problem with Maki..._

**±**

He had missed the hands that traveled with reverence across his milky skin. He had missed the tickling warmth that the breath on his neck gave him. He had missed touching, and feeling the shivers that the flesh beneath his hands gave. 

He had missed those strong hands stroking him to completion, and that thick, burning hardness that never failed to send shocks of infinite pleasure inside him. He had missed that deep voice that came with his gasps and cries. He had missed being with his Shinichi that way. It would have been perfect; everything in his life right then was perfect, except for one thing...

_"Are you ready for my good news, Hiroaki?"_

_"I've been ready for it ever since I called you back."_

_"Well, even if you are ready for it, as you said, I'm sure you'll still be shocked."_

_"Then tell me what it is so we can find out!"_

_"Okay...I'm sure you've heard about my father's death in the newspapers."_

_"...Shinichi, I know that you hate your father, but do you really have to smile like that?"_

_"Hiro-chan...I've been acting properly in front of everyone and it's difficult. You're the only one who understands...just like I'm the only one who'll understand when you feel relieved and happy when your father dies."_

_"I just...I understand but...oh never mind. I suppose that the good news stems from the death of your father..?"_

_"Yes, it does. He left me everything, Hiro-chan, all eighty percent of the company. And he didn't devise some backhanded way for me to still be tied to the company. Maybe he never really knew that I hated running his company, that I hated everything that he told me to do. Maybe he thought that I wouldn't be able to break out of the duties that he imposed on me, that I would be too weak to do so..."_

_"So, you mean--?"_

_"I've just sent word in the media that I'm selling my shares. That, plus my money in the bank and all my other investments...do you know what that means?"_

_"You can live like an emperor without having to lift a finger."_

_"Exactly."_

_"..."_

_"Hiro-chan...? I hope you've already figured out where you stand in this."_

_"Shinichi...I..."_

_"What?"_

_"I just...I just couldn't--"_

_"Well, believe it, love. Once everything's settled, we can go to the Netherlands and get married there whenever you want."_

_"I just...Shinichi..."_

_"Hiro-chan? ...Hiroaki? What are those tears for?"_

_"Shinichi, thank you..."_

_"No, no. I should be the one to say that. You're the reason why this is all possible, Hiroaki. If it weren't for you, I would never have had the strength and the courage to do this. You're my freedom, Koshino Hiroaki. You're my life. Now, stop crying, will you? The other patrons are looking at us..."_

_"Well you shouldn't have told me this during dinner, you know."_

_"But you asked!"_

_"Why you--!"_

A strangled moan escaped Koshino's lips.

...except for one person

"I'm sorry...did that hurt?"

He shook his head. "It's been a long time since--"

"I know. I missed you, Hiro-chan." 

Koshino mentally shook off his lover's words. He didn't deserve them, and for the first time, he didn't really want them. _I need to forget him... _He wrapped his legs around Maki's hips and thrust himself upwards in answer.

Maki groaned, more impassioned by the sudden aggressiveness that came from his lover. 

_Damn you, Sendoh Akira! I should be drowning in bliss right now, but no! I keep thinking that if I go with Shinichi, I'll never see you again, that I'll never be with you, even if...even if..._

Koshino growled up at him. "Harder!" _Even if you're a complete cheating bastard! Even if I hate you! Even if I hate you so much!_

Maki complied with his lover's command, though at the back of his mind, he wondered for a second why Koshino looked more angry and...sad, than at the brink of an orgasm.

**±**

The night sky was lightening; only a few hours remained before Koshino had to go to work and face the man that kept him awake all night.

Beside him, Maki slept peacefully.

_You're too good for me, Shinichi. You deserve better._

Koshino sighed, and tried to will himself to sleep. 

He didn't want to, really. He still felt like punching Sendoh for catching him with Rukawa the past morning, but...

He also couldn't stop himself from wishing that it was Sendoh who was with him all night.

* * *

Finished March 28, 2003


	5. Triple Purpose Trickery

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.

Author's Notes: I hope this part isn't too long-winding. Feedback is very much appreciated.

This fan fiction is dedicated to Leslie Cheung (Sept. 12, 1956 - Apr. 1, 2003), who will continue to be an inspiration of incomparable beauty and brightness in my life, even though he had chosen to move on.

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Five: Triple Purpose Trickery

Koshino Hiroaki bolted upright from his restless sleep. His body, like clockwork, knew that it was a weekday, and that he had to go to work. He looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table, then cursed. He forgot to set the alarm clock at an earlier time, thinking that Sendoh might arrive really early again, like he did the past day, and catch him in his newly awakened state. He did not want a repeat of that embarrassing situation, particularly when he felt the taller man's penetrating stare on the seat of his loose--and _very_ flimsy--pajama bottoms.

He was just about to stand and make his bed when he noticed several different things: the horrendously rumpled bed; the two sets of suits that were strewn on the carpeted floor; the bigger pair of shoes that sat at the foot of his king-sized bed; the watch and the pair of cuff links on another bedside table; the fading scent of sex in the air, and the sound of someone cooking in his kitchen. All these Koshino observed and took note of in mere seconds. He inhaled again, just to make sure if all of it weren't just a dream.

_Shinichi and I spent the night together...oh. I remember now. I made Jin cancel all my appointments for today. I guess I don't need to go to work._

The 25-year-old company president and CEO released a sigh, both in relief and disappointment, when the phone on his bedside table rang. The sudden ringing jarred his newly found relief.

"Moshi moshi. Koshino Hiroaki."

"Koshino-san," spoke Jin Soichiro, sounding both professional and apologetic. "Gomen nasai. There is an emergency in our Hong Kong office. The Chinese executives requested a week-long meeting with you."

"Starting when?" Koshino asked.

"Today--"

"So soon?!" he exploded in disbelief. "But why didn't they request a meeting sooner? Fujima said last week that everything's going well... "

"I'm really sorry, Koshino-san," Jin struggled to placate his boss over the phone. "Sendoh-san will be there this m--"

Koshino failed to hear the rest of what Jin was saying as he was alarmed by the noise outside. "E-mail me all the details and the necessary files."

He hurriedly put down the receiver, not waiting for Jin's reply anymore. He rushed out of his bedroom and into the living room, to find a very irritated Maki fending off the eternally cheerful Sendoh.

"What the hell is happening here?!" he couldn't help shouting.

"Oi, Hiro-kun!" Sendoh beamed at him. "Good timing! You see--"

Maki glared at Sendoh, then turned to his lover to explain. "He just barged in here, saying that the two of you have a meeting in Hong Kong and that you'll be late for your flight if you don't go with him at this very hour, which is preposterous since, from what I know, you canceled all your engagements for today."

"I _told_ you, this meeting was--"

Koshino shook his head wearily, and said, "It's okay, Sendoh. Please come in and make yourself comfortable."

The taller man grinned triumphantly at Maki, and settled himself onto one of Koshino's plush couches. Maki just gritted his teeth as he watched the spiky-haired man swagger into the living room. He gazed searchingly at his lover, then asked dubiously, "What is the meaning of this?"

Koshino smiled weakly at him. "I'll explain in the bedroom."

**±**

"So, you're leaving then."

"Hai," Koshino replied, as he efficiently packed his five-day luggage. "It can't be helped. I'm really sorry, Shinichi. I'll make it up to you next week."

"Well... okay," Maki relented, but still sounding a bit troubled. "You know that I understand the demands of your job, Hiroaki. I guess I'll just take care of the paperwork and the legalities concerning the sale of some of my properties this week."

Koshino nodded. "I hope you won't have too much trouble with them, Shinichi." He closed his luggage with a resounding click, then hefted it off his bed. "I'm all set. I'm really sorry I can't be with you--"

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* "Hiro-kuuun!!!" came the muffled shout from the other side of the door. "I packed some of the omelet that Maki cooked for breakfast! We have to go now or the plane will leave us!"

"That baka," Maki spat out, his usually warm brown eyes narrowed into menacing slits. "He dared to touch my cooking! And why does he keep calling you 'Hiro-kun'? He thinks he's so cute or something," he grumbled.

Koshino only chuckled, trying to soothe his lover. "Shinichi, don't mind him. He's just doing his job--"

"I still can't forget that you've been spending a lot of time with him for the past month, Hiroaki," Maki reasoned. "I'm sorry, but I just don't trust that guy."

_As you have every right to distrust him...and me._

The niggling thought almost drove him into confessing everything to Maki--his guilty feelings, his errant thoughts, and his traitorous wishes, but he bit down the urge, the stinging nip of his conscience. He looked up at his lover, and said encouragingly, "Don't worry too much, Shinichi. I'll be back here before you know it."

Maki took his luggage from his hand, and carefully put it down the floor. Stepping closer to Koshino, he laced his left arm around his lover's waist, then raised his right hand to gently stroke his lover's face. "I guess I'll have to take your word for that, Hiroaki. I'll be waiting."

Koshino smiled up at him, his face leaning towards his lover's palm. "It's just a week, Shinichi, and we've been apart for longer periods. I'm sure we'll survive. Besides, what could possibly happen in just a week?"

As if the person behind the door had an inkling of what was happening between the two...

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* "Hiro-kuuunn!!!!! How could you make out at a time like this! Maki, let him go! Uncle Akira will skin my ass if--"

"Okay, okay!" Maki roared, furious. "Just give us a second, you bastard! And shut up!"

"Who'd you call bastard! You stunted oaf!"

"Why you--!" Maki growled, roughly setting Koshino aside to charge at the offending invader at the other side of the door. The porcupine-head had gone too far!

Koshino wobbled from the unintended amount of force that Maki applied on him, aghast that his lover had snapped from his anger. _I've always known Shinichi to be in total control of his emotions, especially his anger. I've never seen him so...so _enraged_ since his last major dispute with his father..._

"Shinichi!" he half screamed, half pleaded. He ran towards his lover and threw his arms around him. "Just please don't mind him... Please... Sshhh... Shinichi, please don't be angry anymore..."

"If he wants to punch me then let him, Hiro-kun!"

"Shut up, Sendoh!" he shouted. 

The other side of the door fell silent.

Their breaths came out in heavy gasps, with Maki trying to rein in his anger, and Koshino trying to tame the emotion that he had never felt before in his lover's presence. He could not give it a name just yet, but he knew it wasn't good.

"Hiro-chan..." Maki whispered almost inaudibly. "Hiro-chan, gomen. I didn't mean to lose control like that, especially over such a trivial matter."

Koshino nodded in response. His brown eyes were wide, peering into Maki's eyes. "I know. Please don't let Sendoh get to you, Shinichi. He's naturally like that. He tries to constantly annoy people until they snap--it's like he's born for that, you know?"

Maki nodded back, then bestowed hungry, passionate kisses all over Koshino's face and neck. This made his lover moan appreciatively, especially when he nudged him against the door.

"Mmm..." Koshino moaned. "Shin...Shinichi we don't have time for this--unnh!"

His sharp gasp at Maki's fevered hand in his pants, stroking his arousal, was the signal that Maki needed. Maki quickly pulled away, and methodically straightened his lover's clothing. 

Koshino was still in a daze. _Wha...what the...?_

It was Maki's teasing smile that pierced through the fog over his brain. "That's my going away gift for you, Hiro-chan. Come back as fast as you can, okay?"

He really wanted to throw Maki onto his still rumpled bed and have his way with him, or getting fucked _hard _against the door was also a good idea. For a second he contemplated on it, but--

"Hey, you guys..." Sendoh's quite uncertain voice resounded through the wooden door. "Whatever you two're doing...stop already 'coz it doesn't sound too nice from here..."

Koshino sighed inwardly, and glared balefully at Maki. "You sadistic bastard. You're going to pay dearly for that, Maki Shinichi."

His lover only grinned. "I'm looking forward to that, Koshino Hiroaki."

**±**

Sendoh leaned against the door as he waited for Koshino to come out. He couldn't bear the thought of his Hiro-kun alone in a room--in a bedroom, no less!--with Maki, so he just busied himself with eating his share of the packed breakfast that he prepared a few minutes earlier.

_Hmm...these are quite good! Didn't think that guy could cook... ...What's taking Hiro-kun so long? And what are those thumps that I hear?_

He pressed his ear against the wooden door, trying to catch any sound from inside. He heard moans, and then it was as if the door smacked his cheek as something thumped against it from the other side.

_Ow! This is not good. What is going on in there...?_

He heard a sharp gasp, then Maki's cheerful voice saying, "That's my going away gift for you, Hiro-chan. Come back as fast as you can, okay?"

Sendoh's veins filled with rage and jealousy as an army of negative thoughts swarmed inside his brain. _What did he do to Hiro-kun?! Is he molesting him or something?!_

"Hey, you guys..." he called out again, worried, yet determined. "Whatever you two're doing...stop already 'coz it doesn't sound too nice from here..."

"You sadistic bastard. You're going to pay dearly for that, Maki Shinichi."

"I'm looking forward to that, Koshino Hiroaki."

Sendoh hated the pompous, overconfident tone of Maki's voice. It was not in his nature to hate people, especially people whom he was not well-acquainted to. If it were under normal circumstances, he would have been very tolerating of Maki Shinichi, to say the least. But the man was Koshino's boyfriend--_Which, of course, wouldn't be for long. I'm making sure of that. After this trip, Hiro-kun will be mine._

He quickly stepped away from the door as he heard footsteps, then something being picked up, then more footsteps.

The door opened, revealing a slightly frowning Koshino. "Let's go, Sendoh."

_Hm. Whatever Maki did to him, it couldn't be good. _"I thought we'd never leave." 

**±**

Koshino shifted his reading glasses on the bridge of his nose, and sighed inwardly.

He could not concentrate on the documents that Jin had sent him through Sendoh. The picture of Maki enraged as he was that morning always invaded his thoughts. And what he felt then...

_For a while there I was...I was _scared_ of him. I was thoroughly afraid. I guess I'm not used to seeing him like that. His anger, though... _He shuddered as he remembered the look in his Shinichi's eyes. _It was as if he was ready to _seriously _rip Sendoh apart. I couldn't...I mean, I've never seen him like that, to think that I've always regarded him as always in control of everything._

"More coffee, Hiro-kun?"

He shifted his reading glasses to rest just above his forehead to rub his eyes. "Hai, please."

Sendoh carefully set down another Styrofoam cup filled with scalding hot coffee onto his pull-out table. "You should really take it easy, Hiro-kun. The meeting hasn't even started but you're already stressed out. It's a beautiful morning, you know, so ease up!"

Koshino automatically shook his head, and put back his spectacles. "I'm well-acquainted with my top managers, as well as a few of my middle managers in my Hong Kong office. I have a considerable knowledge of their skills and capabilities. They wouldn't request an emergency meeting with me--and a weeklong meeting at that--if it's not a life or death situation. I have no time to 'take it easy', as you put it, Sendoh. _We _don't have the privilege to do that right now, with the problem at hand..." He blinked, unaware of Sendoh's uneasy laughter in the background. 

It was only then that he realized the fact. _ If it's such an emergency, it would've been more to everyone's advantage if Sendoh was left behind. He's not needed in this meeting, since he doesn't know a thing about the company's branches outside Japan... If I'm alone, then there's less distraction. And if he's left behind, Otousan or Uncle Hiroaki could teach him while I'm gone..._

It was then that Koshino turned to regard Sendoh with a piercing stare. 

The other man just kept grinning, the corners of his mouth looking a bit strained.

"Who sent you?"

"Uncle Akira told me to go with you," Sendoh replied smoothly, grin still in place. "He said that he and 'tou-chan will take over while we're gone. He said that even though this is still out of my league, I should have first-hand experience, and that you're the best man to learn from." 

Koshino's jaw dropped at Sendoh's words. "Hontou? Otousan said that about me?"

The blue-eyed man just kept on smiling. _ Actually, it was me who told Uncle Akira that... And I had to grovel to let me go with Hiro-kun...not exactly grovel, but close. I almost thought that the puppy dog look wouldn't work on Uncle Akira anymore, but I'm sure glad that I haven't lost my touch._

"Sou ka," he breathed. _My father said that? ...Wow. He's never complimented me..._

**±**

Koshino Akira sipped his tea and browsed through that morning's paper. Business was good, even amidst all the failing businesses and bad debts raining throughout Japan. He had to admit, his son was good. There was no denying it.

But he would not admit it out loud, especially in front of his son. No, he just would not.

"Koshino-sama?" It was Jameson.

"Hai?"

"Sendoh-sama is here to see you."

He nodded. His best friend's morning visits were always nice. "Lead him in, and tell one of the maids to bring more food."

"Certainly, Koshino-sama."

He folded the newspaper neatly and set it aside. He wondered what his best friend had for him this time.

"Oi, Aki."

"Oi, Aki," he greeted back.

"Heh." The other old man seated himself beside him, and placed the new issues of Time, Newsweek, Asiaweek, and Wall Street Journal Asia beside his teacup. "Bet you didn't know about that."

He blinked weathered brown eyes at his best friend, who was grinning at him cheerfully. He frowned. "What's this?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

He scowled even further. "You're not playing games with me, are you, Sendoh Hiroaki?"

The older Sendoh sighed exasperatedly at his best friend. "Must you be doubtful of me, Akira? Come on. I'm your best friend Hiro-kun."

He snorted. "Hiro-kun. Bah. You're old!"

The other one snorted back. "You, too!"

He shook his head, and adjusted his spectacles. He took hold of the magazines, and his eyebrows raised.

Each one of them had his son's face on the front cover.

He blinked a couple of times, trying to get rid of the sudden blurring of his vision. 

The older Sendoh gazed solemnly at his best friend, whose eyes were brimming with tears. "Akira, don't be ashamed of those tears, ne? I'm very proud of him, too. It seems you've raised him well, even without the aid of Mayu-chan."

At the mention of his deceased wife's name, he quickly took off his spectacles and grabbed the nearest linen table napkin within reach. He covered his eyes with it, and bowed his head.

"But you know," his best friend continued, "I don't think he knows, Akira. He might have graduated at the top of his class in Kyoto University. He might have earned stellar distinctions in Oxford. He might be one of the top 30 businessmen on the whole of earth, but I don't think he ever really aimed for those exact recognitions--"

"I know where you're going, Hiroaki," his tone was composed.

Sendoh Hiroaki frowned at his best friend. "Then what are you going to do about it? Twenty-five years, Akira. You're not getting any younger, and I have yet to hear you tell your son that you're proud of him, or that you appreciate his efforts, at least."

Koshino Akira quickly dabbed the moisture from his eyes, pretending to be preoccupied. "It wouldn't matter to him, whatever I say. He hates me, Hiroaki."

"And whose fault is that?" his best friend chided gently. "You never had any difficulty expressing how proud you are about my son's ventures, but you can't even say a word to your own son, to think that he's actually your blood relative."

The older Koshino set aside the linen napkin, and placed his hands on his lap, his gaze pinned on them. "That's because your son is not my son. It's easier. As for my son...we've grown apart ever since Mayu died. I know it was very stupid of me, but I couldn't stop blaming him for Mayu's death. He...I couldn't bear to look at him, Hiroaki. I wasn't ready to raise a child, but Mayu wanted one so badly. I..."

The older Sendoh harshly released his breath. "But it's been 20 years! I've been having this discussion with you for the longest time--haven't you gotten over that?!"

"But it's hard!" The older Koshino nearly shouted at his friend, his eyes never leaving his hands. "Every time I try, I couldn't breathe. I freeze until I feel like I'm dying, Hiroaki! And then I end up pushing him farther away!"

The older Sendoh breathed deeply, then let out a heavy sigh. "I heard you allowed Akira to go with Hiro?" he asked, changing the subject.

The older Koshino nodded. "Yes. He pestered me so much about it--"

"Haven't you noticed yet, Aki?" His tone was light, willing to brush aside their previous argument. _Besides,_ he thought to himself, _I'm sure that Akira will be giving this matter a lot of thought more than ever. Considering the present situation, I'm sure he__'s afraid of losing his own son to Maki Shinichi, if our suspicion proves accurate._

The older Koshino raised an eyebrow, his earlier anguish leaving his features, only lingering behind the faded color of his eyes. "What should I notice, Aki?"

The older Sendoh looked at his best friend dubiously. "You mean, you really haven't noticed yet?"

"Noticed what?"

A scowl settled over the older Sendoh's features. Was his best friend trying to be funny? "My son more than adores your son, Akira."

"Oh. That."

"So...you knew?"

The older Koshino huffed irately, but there was a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Baka. Why would I let your son go with Hiroaki if I didn't know?"

"Ah..."

**±**

The two young executives arrived at KS International in Hong Kong just in time for lunch. They were advised by the receptionist to wait at the lobby, while the top managers went down to acquaint themselves during lunch.

"Stop fidgeting, Sendoh," Koshino admonished his Vice President. "They're really nice people, and very good at their work."

Sendoh scratched the back of his neck. He looked quite uncomfortable. It was the first time that he would be meeting other prominent members of their human resource, and it seemed to him that his Hiro-kun was also friends with these people. Well, so long as they keep their hands away from his Hiro-kun, he was happy. "Okay."

Not several minutes passed when three men, obviously well-bred and the higher-ups of the company, came out of the elevator and made their way toward them. Koshino brightened at the sight of them--which did not escape Sendoh--but held himself as composed as ever.

"NYAHAHAHA! Oi Kosh! Good to see you!"

Koshino was suddenly caught in a very tight bear-hug, and found himself being twirled around in the air like a shoujo manga heroine. This did not make Sendoh happy.

"Hanamichi, put me down!" Koshino growled at the red-haired man.

"You better let Koshino go, Hanamichi," Fujima admonished one of his junior vice presidents, his blue eyes holding a hint of mirth. "People are starting to stare."

"They are staring only because they are completely awed by the presence of the Tensai! NYAHAHAHA!"

"Oi. Spare us, Hanamichi," a man with cropped dark hair drawled sardonically. "I'm starving."

"Mitchy, Mitchy..." The redhead shook his head at Mitsui Hisashi. "You're a bottomless pit, you know that?"

Said bottomless pit snorted. "The pot calling the kettle black."

"Could somebody put me down already?" Koshino said unsmilingly.

"Oh. Heheh." Sakuragi grinned at the man in his arms, then put him on his feet. "Sorry 'bout that, Kosh." 

It seemed to Sendoh that it was only then that he was noticed by everyone when Mitsui raised an appraising eyebrow at him. He felt a bit miffed by the gesture, especially by the mocking air that the man possessed, but he stifled the urge to stare the man down. He didn't want to cause trouble for his Hiro-kun.

Fujima acknowledged him by nodding towards his direction. "You must be Koshino's VP, I presume?"

Koshino winced at his momentary lack of manners. "Oh, I apologize. Everyone, this is Sendoh Akira, assistant CEO and vice president of KS International, main office. Sendoh," he gestured to the man with blue eyes and light brown hair, "This is Fujima Kenji, president of KS International, Hong Kong office. The man on his right is Mitsui Hisashi, senior vice president, while the man on his left is Sakuragi Hanamichi, junior vice president."

"--and world-renowned Tensai. That's me." Sakuragi declared with a raucous grin.

Koshino looked at him with a blank expression. "I'm going to let that pass, Hanamichi."

The group exchanged their pleasantries, then went out for lunch.

**±**

To Sendoh's dismay, there was just no time for him to flirt and really talk to Koshino about the situation with Rukawa. When the other man was in the office, he was all business and very serious that it really made him hesitate in talking about subjects not related to work. And when they were both in their suite at the Ritz Carlton, he couldn't bring himself to talk or flirt with Koshino because they were both tired. Seeing his Hiro-kun looking more beat up than he was, he just didn't have the heart to disturb him. It was already their third day in Hong Kong, but he still wasn't able to squeeze a word in about that errant--and totally unwanted--kiss. Not only that, but he noticed some strange undercurrent between the senior vice president, Mitsui Hisashi, and Koshino. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that the two had a past.

_Which is not possible, because there wasn't any mention of a Mitsui Hisashi in between Hiro-kun and Maki's break-ups. _

But it still made him wonder.

**±**

That night, Koshino unlocked the door to their suite and trudged on ahead without turning on the lights. He was quite tired, but he had to admit that it was fun to work with his friends again. Though Hanamichi was a bit unbearable at times, he didn't really mind as much as he let on. In fact, he enjoyed Hanamichi's attitude towards their work. He wouldn't admit that to anyone, of course, but deep inside he wished that he could be a bit like Hanamichi somehow. Just a little bit.

Then there was Mitsui Hisashi. 

Koshino sighed as he draped himself over his couch. He closed his eyes, picturing the older man in his mind. That affair was short-lived, and he will always have a special place in his heart for Hisashi, but from the vibes that he'd been getting for the past few days, it seemed to him that the other man still hadn't moved on from the whole thing._ I think he and I should talk about it some more. I can't just leave him going on like this... _

The unexpected glare of lights against his closed eyelids made him snap his eyes wide open. 

"Oh, sorry. Did I startle you, Hiro-kun?" It was Sendoh.

_Then there was Sendoh Akira, first class pain in the neck, of course. _He sighed. "It's okay," he murmured. _Well, he's stopped being a pain in the neck during our stay here. He's actually been quite helpful during the meetings, and very amiable towards the rest of the guys. Maybe I should make him into something like my international ambassador or representative..._

"...Hiro-kun? Can we talk?" came Sendoh's hesitant voice, coming from the sofa on his right. "I really need to talk to you about something."

Koshino inwardly rolled his eyes heavenward._ I knew it was just too good to last so long. I've been trying to put off *that thing*, but I guess this is as good a time as any. _"Okay. What about?" 

"About Rukawa..."

Both men winced at the name. Before Koshino could protest, Sendoh already went ahead. "It's been over for more than a year now."

Koshino stared at Sendoh for a couple of seconds, then snorted. "It didn't seem like it that day." 

There was disbelief in his words, but there was a hint of grudging hesitation in that disbelief. Sendoh sensed this, and plowed on. "I had no idea he was back in Japan. We already parted ways more than a year ago, and there hadn't been anything official between us for three years already. We agreed to stay friends, at least. I thought that was it, until he came to the office--"

"Did your definition of being friends include playing ping pong with each other's tonsils?" Koshino asked dryly. _Well...come to think of it, I didn't really see what Sendoh was doing. But just from the gasping sounds the kiss seemed really...uh, passionate. _

Sendoh's face flushed at Koshino's description. _How could Hiro-kun say such things! It didn't look that way to him, did it?! _"I didn't kiss him!"

"Well, what happened back there?" Koshino nearly hissed. "You two certainly weren't just having tea and talking about old times, like friends do."

"Hiro-kun..."

Koshino was scowling at him. "What?"

"_He _kissed_ me, _not the other way around."

"..." Koshino lowered his gaze.

"Please believe me, Hiro-kun. I'd never thought of hurting you that way."

"Don't be so full of yourself, Sendoh," Koshino muttered, his gaze lowered still. "What gave you the idea that I was hurt by that--by that--"

"_That_ is what gave me the idea, Hiro-kun."

Koshino promptly kept quiet, wishing that he could just shrink and escape the embarrassing situation that he just wedged himself into. _If I only kept my mouth shut..._

Sendoh sighed, and leaned back into the sofa. "The past few weeks, I...I was happy with you. I've never been happier, alone or with anyone else. I thought...I thought you were happy with me, too."

"I was."

Sendoh's heart leaped at the admission. He could feel it, could almost see himself with his Hiro-kun--

"But it's too late now. Shinichi and I...we're getting married."

* * *

Finished 15 January 2004


	6. Old Patterns

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.

Author's Notes: Yay, a quick update! (does a Sumomo cheer) Thank you to **Mata, Kadzuki Fuchion, delusional-lady**, and **Kia **for commenting. I really appreciate them, thank you so much! And to those who are wondering what I'm going to do with Maki...please don't kill me, especially those who really wanted me to change it to a MakiKosh. (dodges tomatoes thrown by pro MakiKosh) I'll try to write another fic with that pairing, okay, 'coz I like MakiKosh, too. But I already planned for this to be a SenKosh, and I'll go crazy if I change the outline. Thank you for reading, minna-san!

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Six: Old Patterns

_"But it's too late now. Shinichi and I...we're getting married."_

It seemed to Sendoh as if he was falling into a warp, spiraling into some unknown oblivion. The words wouldn't quit echoing in his head.

_"Shinichi and I...we're getting married."_

He groaned aloud.

At that instant four pairs of eyes darted to where he sat.

"Oi, Spiky, you okay?" Sakuragi asked, a grudging worry in his tone.

He looked up, startled at the attention that his unexpected action gathered. Fujima was regarding him with worried blue eyes, while Mitsui looked at him, an eyebrow arched in question. He looked at Koshino, and behind those spectacles he saw worry, sorrow, and guilt. He tried to force a smile. "I'm okay. Just a slight headache. Nothing to worry about. I'll just go to the men's room. Excuse me."

He stood up and went out of the conference room.

**±**

The door of the men's room shut closed behind him.

_"But it's too late now. Shinichi and I...we're getting married."_

_"...we're getting married."_

_"...we're getting married."_

"Damn this," he muttered. It was all he could do not to hit his head onto a hard surface. They were overwhelming him, those words that Koshino said the past night. He had been stunned speechless, which was unusual. He wasn't even able to laugh one of his nervous laughs, to break the deafening silence. He just sat there, as if mindless. 

He couldn't even remember when Koshino got up, or whatever Koshino did after saying those words. One minute he was sitting on the couch, the next he was gone. It was like all of it was just a dream--a nightmare--but he knew it to be true. He knew, and he couldn't stand it. 

_"...we're getting married."_

**±**

Koshino paced. He was tense. His muscles were tense, as well as his bones, his mind, his stomach, his jaws. _Any second now,_ he thought, _I'd snap. I just know it. Maybe I'd pass out... _He glanced at the closed door of the room beside his. _Yeah, pass out like what Sendoh did. _

The door opened, revealing Kogure, Mitsui's friend who's a physician, followed by Mitsui himself. 

It was as if his heart leaped to choke his throat. He coughed, trying to dispel the sensation, before he spoke. "How is he, Doctor? Is he going to be alright?" he asked, his eyes tinged with worry.

Dr. Kogure Kiminobu adjusted his spectacles first, and smiled reassuringly at Koshino. "As far as I can tell, the patient is going to be fine. At first I feared that he is another case of the city's latest outbreak, but I can assure you that it was only stress and nothing more serious."

Koshino released the breath that he was unaware of holding. _Thank goodness._

"However," Dr. Kogure continued, "he needs to relax, have time to recuperate. A day would be quite sufficient, but two days would be ideal. It would be best to free him from constant worries...and laughter, yes, that would help."

Behind the doctor, Mitsui snorted. "Laughter...is it advisable to let Sakuragi near him, Kogure? Or would his presence make matters worse?"

The doctor chuckled, his cheeks flushing a little as he looked over at his friend. "Sakuragi always means well, Mitsui."

"Yeah, well. Sometimes I wonder..."

"Anyway, Koshino-san," Dr. Kogure shifted his glasses again, then reached into his left breast pocket. "If any trouble like this arises again, please don't hesitate to contact me," he said, giving Koshino his business card. 

Koshino nodded. "Thank you. I am very grateful for your attending to him, Doctor."

Kogure chuckled warmly. "Oh, please just call me Kogure, Koshino-san. Any friend of Mitsui is also my friend."

Koshino smiled at this and nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Kogure. And please drop the honorifics, as well. Mitsui is a good friend of mine, and I treat his friends as my friends, too."

Mitsui, who was unnoticed by the two men, looked a trifle uneasy at the exchange between his...friends. 

"Well, I guess that's it, then," Kogure murmured, the remnants of his smile still emanating from his eyes. "I have to be going now. I have to do rounds in about an hour. It was a pleasure meeting you at last, Koshino."

"Likewise," Koshino replied sincerely, his voice tinged with a feeling of ease and lightness. _I've always had to contend with highly strung businessmen whose good manners are there for the sake of their businesses. It's rare to meet someone whose goodness evidently springs from within the person himself. No lies, no masks, no walls, just what you see. _He sighed inwardly, secretly regarding the bespectacled man before him a bit wistfully. _I wish..._

"Hiro."

He blinked, pulled back into the present by Mitsui's perpetually sardonic, I'm-a-bigger-better-man-than-you tone. Only, as before, his voice held a certain softness, belying his affection, whenever he spoke that nickname. He wondered if it should really disturb him this time, then brushed it aside. "Hai?"

Mitsui's chin slightly jutted towards him, his gaze almost a sideward glance. "I'll show Kogure to his car. Be back in just a while."

Koshino nodded to him in reply, then turned to Kogure. "Please take care on the road, Kogure."

"Thank you. Bye for now."

"Bye."

**±**

They both knew that the ride down in the elevator would be quite long, since Koshino and Sendoh's suite was the second to the topmost floor of the opulent hotel. If it was under normal circumstances, they would not have minded. They would have talked, or stayed in companionable silence. It wouldn't have had to feel like hanging in midair in extended eternity.

It wasn't a normal circumstance for them, though.

Kogure held onto the thick stillness as long as he could, but he had to say something. Anything.

"It's him," he said simply, not asking.

...

"Say something." Kogure's voice held a thread of strain.

"What do you want me to say, Kogure?" It didn't help that Mitsui's voice still sounded like that. 

Mocking. Cutting. Scathing. It very rarely flayed Kogure's nerves, because he knew Mitsui, even better than Mitsui knew himself. Unfortunately, this was one of those very rare times. He tightened his fists, willing the turbulent feelings rising from his depths to stay down.

"I thought we were over this--"

"We are. I'm not speaking about this further."

...

The elevator stopped at the fourteenth floor, and the doors opened. A middle-aged woman in an emerald green dress stepped in. 

_...13_

_...12_

_...11_

_...10_

"He's nice. I like him." The tightness in Kogure's voice was gone. In its place was a sigh of resignation, of defeat.

...

"I guess that's why you can't forget him, ne?"

...

The two were unaware of the woman sneaking looks in their direction.

"How long has it been, anyway?"

"I thought we're over this," Mitsui growled, the words wrenched from his clenched jaw.

...

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened. In stepped a young woman with shoulder-length blond hair underneath a gray silk bandana.

_...9_

_...8_

_...7_

"I think you should go back. It's a long ride up."

_...6_

_...5_

_...4_

"I don't know why I feel this way. Can you ever forgive me, Kogure?"

_...3_

_...2_

_...1_

The elevator doors opened. Kogure stepped out, and the other occupants brushed past him as he stopped.

"Mitsui?"

"Yeah?"

Kogure turned, his eyeglasses flashing under the lights for a second. "As long as you're happy, Mitsui. That's all I want."

"Kogure..."

With a sad smile, Kogure turned and left.

**±**

_Sendoh, you are a pain in the ass,_ Koshino thought, without his usual annoyance when thinking that particular thought. He sighed, then abandoned his position leaning on the doorframe to sit beside said pain in the ass's prone form on the bed.

_You had me worried back there,_ he thought, as he busied himself with gazing on the bluish black thickness of the other man's eyelashes laying flush on his pale cheeks. _It'd be really obnoxious of me to think that my marriage announcement did that to you, but I really feel that I shouldn't have told you that. You've been acting strange since last night, when I said that Shinichi and I are getting married. I shouldn't have said that. I should have set things straight between us first. I should have been honest with how I feel about you, and about how there's just no way for those feelings to be expressed. I should have explained how it's too late. I should have explained, and tried to be just your friend, Sendoh. Instead, I blurted out that marriage thing, because I'm scared. I'm scared to be honest with you, to tell you how I feel, because I fear that once you ask me to be with you, I might not have the strength to resist. My plans, my promises... I might break them, Sendoh. It wouldn't have mattered much if it was just me, but I'll also be risking Shinichi's future if I break my promises, if I don't go with the plans. We have so many plans, so many dreams for our life together. I can't rob him of any of those things, Sendoh. I can't hurt him, because he won't be able to handle it if I'm the one who hurt him. And I won't hurt him, I won't..._

"I'll take whatever you can give."

Koshino nearly jumped upright. He blinked in confusion, then caught imploring blue eyes looking up at him. "Wha-?"

"You said you're getting married. To him," Sendoh said, his voice scratchy. He tried to clear his throat, coughing a little, then continued, "But you're not married, not yet--"

His confusion was replaced by a mix of anxiety and anger that he couldn't pinpoint the origin. He glared at Sendoh, refusing to listen. "Shut up, Sendoh! You just fainted on me, now rest!"

"Listen, Hiro-kun..."

"I TOLD YOU TO REST!!!" Koshino roared, not because he was angry at Sendoh, but because there was this voice inside him that kept insisting for him to listen. And he wouldn't listen. He couldn't afford to listen to Sendoh...

"I'll take whatever you can give," Sendoh continued, unfazed by his Hiro-kun's feral shout. "Whatever you can give... whenever you want, whenever you can. I... so long I... oh shit..." He closed his eyes, trying to clear the wooziness in his head.

Koshino sat by the bed, heaving from his anger, when he saw Sendoh frown and close his eyes. His eyes widened, and in an instant he was sitting beside Sendoh on the bed, cradling him in his arms. "Baka," he mumbled at the man in his arms. He sighed, a combination of resignation and grudging affection. "I told you to rest, but you wouldn't listen. Why do you have to be so hard-headed all the time?"

"Hiro-kun...why am I so dizzy?" Sendoh whispered, eyes still closed.

"It's the meds, Sendoh. Sleep some more, then we'll talk after you're well-rested, okay?"

"You always call me that..." Sendoh murmured sleepily.

"What?"

Sendoh opened his eyes into slits, just a thread of blue peeking out of his eyelids. "Sendoh. You never call me Aki-chan, or Aki-kun, or Akira anymore..."

Koshino sighed again, exasperated at Sendoh's talkativeness, but his heart warmed that Sendoh still remembered when they were children. "But that was when we were kids, baka."

"Always my best friend, Hiro-kun..."

He blinked back the tears that he didn't know were there. At that moment, he couldn't remember what happened for him to hate his Aki-chan so much. He couldn't remember why he started hating him, why he shunned his company, and why he kept away from him. He couldn't remember, but maybe that was just as well. All he knew, at that point, was that he missed that short period of his childhood when he had a best friend, and that he missed his best friend.

"Missed you, too..."

Koshino smiled, and dropped a kiss on Sendoh's forehead. 

"Ne, Hiro-kun?" Sendoh followed this with a yawn.

"Hmm?"

"Please stay...sleep beside me?"

He snorted, his smile never leaving his face. "Promise to keep your hentai hands to yourself?"

Sendoh closed his eyes, losing against sleep every passing second, but managed a weak grin that plainly said, _"You'll just have to find out_._"_

Koshino chuckled, while toeing off his shoes. "Pervert."

**±**

Mitsui stepped inside the hotel suite and quietly locked the door. He was carrying a grocery bag of various fruits such as apples, oranges, some lemons, and a big can of pineapple chunks. 

When he found Sendoh sprawled on the men's room floor, he froze. Yes, he knew that he should help him out, that he should alert the others, alert Koshino, about what happened. He knew that the other man should be brought to a hospital, he should have administered first-aid, or whatever. 

He knew that he should help him, but there was a long moment of hesitation before he did so.

The first time that he saw Sendoh with Koshino, he knew right then and there of the nature of their relationship. The one pining for the latter, the latter having similar feelings, but was already tied. 

Oh, he knew the feeling exactly, dammit.

He wasn't always offensive; he could charm anyone when he saw the need to. He wasn't ill-mannered, either, and he always treated everyone with courtesy. But when he saw how Sendoh was looking at Koshino, how he stood beside him, their bodies subconsciously leaning towards each other, he felt the sting of jealousy--but not without a smidgen of pity--that he'd only felt whenever he saw Maki Shinichi. His blood boiled as the name came to his thoughts. He couldn't help it, even after all this time apart.

Apparently, it wasn't only him whose way was being blocked by that pompous bastard.

He walked to Sendoh's room first, meaning to check on him. He opened the door, and nearly dropped the grocery bag at what he saw.

His grip on the grocery bag tightened, and he gently closed the door with a near inaudible click.

**±**

"Maki."

"...Fujima? To what do I owe this call?"

"I heard that you and Hiroaki are getting married."

"Oh, so you called to congratulate me, then. Ariga--"

"Leave him alone, Maki."

"Ken-chan...are you jealous?"

"Maki, you're not well, and we both know it. Leave Hiro alone, please! You'll only hurt him!"

"...but I'm getting better. I'm better! Shut up, Kenji!"

"But--"

"I said shut up! SHUT UP, KENJI! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!"

Fujima winced as he heard a crash, and the line went dead.

While on the other side of the line...

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!" Maki hurled his mobile phone to the wall, shards of glass and bits of plastic exploding with a sharp cracking sound. He fell to his knees, his enraged fists banging on the tiled floor, still screaming at the top of his lungs.

The door of his room slammed open; the sound of shuffling feet was drowned out by his voice. 

Suddenly, there were strong arms around him, vice-like hands pinning his arms and legs to the floor. He squirmed, thrashed around, still screaming.

Then there was the overly familiar sensation of a needle piercing his arm. He bit his lip, and banged his head against the tiles, trying to will away the fog overwhelming his senses. The last thing he saw, were Dr. Takato Riki's sad eyes.

* * *

Finished 30 January 2004


	7. Paper, Stick, and Stone

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.

Warnings: bad language, angst

Thank you very much to Mata, and Kadzuki Fuchoin (--Get Backers, ne? He and Jubei are so cute together!) for the comments. =) *glomps* The MakiKosh fic will be (hopefully) finished soon.

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Seven: Paper, Stick, and Stone

_"You're leaving me for him, aren't you?"_

_"..."_

_"Why? Because I'm not good enough for you? Because I'm not strong enough, because I don't fit your description of a survivor--a savior! Because he completes your deepest fantasy and I don't!"_

_"..."_

_"I took everything, everything that you dished out. I took your punches, I took your insults...I held you whenever you couldn't take things anymore...I loved you. Is this how you--"_

_"I...when I look at him, I can't help seeing myself, Kenji. Whenever I look at him, I can't help needing to put my arms around him, to do my best around him...to make everything perfect for him. I want...it's as if someone else does everything to make things perfect for me when I--"_

_"But he's my friend, too! I will stand back, I promise I will stand back if only you leave because you love him and not because--"_

_"How dare you demand a condition?! You hide behind the act of being a true friend to him, but are you really? I won't let you spoil our happiness because of your spite!"_

_"You don't care about his happiness, Shinichi. Don't delude yourself like this..."_

_"You have no right to judge my actions, nor my feelings. This will be good for me, I know it."_

_"But--"_

_"And aren't you tired? Aren't you tired of us? I...no matter how often I do it, I truly don't like hurting you, Kenji. Believe me, this is for the best."_

_"Shinichi, I promised I'll help you get through this, and I don't intend to break that promise! No matter how many times you lose control, I'll help you!"_

_"But isn't it obvious that you can't? Really, I am grateful for everything that you've done for me, but this is only destroying us. I release you from your promise, Kenji. You are very dear to me, and every time I hurt you, I want to die. Please, please this is for the best."_

_"Shinichi..."_

_"Kenji...I hope in time you'll be able to forgive me."_

_"...I'll forgive you, if only..."_

_"If only what, Kenji? Tell me, and I'll do everything in my power for your forgiveness."_

_"I'll forgive you, if only you promise not to hurt him. Not even once, Shinichi. And once you do, you let him go, and let your uncle help you."_

_"I promise, Kenji. Thank you. You _are _ a good friend to him."_

_"I just...I just want you to be well, Shinichi."_

"Oi, Fujima! What are you doin' here?!"

Fujima turned blue eyes to the source of the well-known racket, and sighed. His redheaded junior vice president was gaily ambling towards him. "Sakuragi. Just drinking."

Sakuragi grinned at him. "Feh. If I'd known you liked places of this type, then I'd've dragged you clubbing every week! And I thought you only lived for your little office papers and stuff."

"I don't."

"Eh?" 

"I don't really like places like this, and I don't live for my, as you called it, _little office papers and stuff_."

Sakuragi looked at Fujima curiously, his brown eyes narrowing and his fists on his waist. "So, why are you in a place that you don't really like?" 

Fujima turned his back on him and downed the remaining contents of his glass. He hopped off the stool, and handed the bartender a thick wad of cash. "Keep the change."

He left, not even glancing back at the gaping bartender and at Sakuragi, who had a concerned expression on his face.

**±**

Koshino crept quietly out of Sendoh's room, and shut the door without a sound. He sighed to himself--a heavy, mindless sigh. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what he was thinking of at that very moment, and he didn't care, really. He was just relieved that Sendoh was all right.

As he walked to the mini fridge to get a glass of water, he noticed a light emanating from his television set in the living room. Curious as to who left it on, he found Mitsui lounging in one of the couches, both feet positioned on either side of the couch, making his legs spread far apart as possible. He appeared to be almost sitting on his lower back, and his eyes gazed listlessly at the muted television.

The half sitting, half lying position of the other man reminded Koshino of his more fun times, easier times, with Mitsui. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be in such a carefree yet intense companionship. No matter what that relationship cost him in the past, the memories only reaffirmed that he would be a fool if he regretted any second of it.

"Oi. I don't allow engaged men to ogle me, you know," came the dry tone. Mitsui's eyes were still on the TV.

Koshino chuckled. "I was not ogling you, as you'd put it, Hisashi. I was merely reminiscing."

There was a soft snort, followed by, "Anything good?"

"Hai. They're all good."

Mitsui nodded, still not looking up at Koshino. 

"We need to talk."

Both of them blinked at the words, then said, "You first."

"This is being counterproductive," Koshino murmured.

Mitsui grinned as he held his right fist before him. "Hn. Paper, stick, and stone. Up to one. You ready?"

Koshino grinned back, laughing softly. "Haven't done this in a long time. I'm afraid my skills are rusty."

The other man shrugged, dark blue eyes twinkling. "It's just up to one, Koshino Hiroaki. Unless, that is, your guts have left you."

"Don't question my guts, Mitsui Hisashi," Koshino said airily, mock-insulted.

Mitsui snorted. "Heh. Coulda fooled me there. So, how about it? Up to one, or I'm going to make it up to ten." Then his voice lowered, his eyes raking over his ex-lover's form suggestively. "And you know what happens when I win at ten."

"That's just what I was going to talk to you about, Hisashi," he retorted quickly, repressing the full body blush that the other man's eyes never failed to elicit. He thanked his lucky stars that the only illumination came from the TV.

"Hn. Spoilsport," Mitsui intoned, sounding mock-disappointed and apologetic at the same time.

"Gomen."

"So, go ahead. Scrap the game. It wouldn't have mattered, since I'd've let you win, anyway."

"Mitsui...?"

Mitsui raised an eyebrow in question, but kept quiet.

Koshino worried his lower lip, nervous all of a sudden. How does one go about discouraging someone when he perfectly knows that he isn't encouraged? And what if it was just his imagination? Hell, it wasn't his imagination, but how does he go about it without sounding...well, self-centered? 

Mitsui scowled. "If this is about me supposed to have gotten over you already, then--then..."

"I want you to move on, Hisashi. I want you to be happy," Koshino said, his eyes imploring the other man to understand, to accept. 

"But I _am_ happy!" he blurted out, his voice a tad louder. "Don't think I haven't had my fair share of lovers after we ended it." He drew in a deep breath, suddenly finding himself angry. At whom, he wasn't entirely sure. "And just who the hell are you to think that I haven't moved on? Why? And why mustn't I move on? Because of you? Just because of you?!" He panted, the torrent of words left him breathless. "...Egotistical bastard!"

Koshino glared, his face turning red. "What the hell did you just call me?!"

Mitsui had long ago placed his feet flat on the carpeted floor. He stood up, and looked down into Koshino's eyes. "I called you an egotistical bastard, Koshino Hiroaki," he ground out, his eyes challenging the other man to fight him. "I don't appreciate that you came here at all. I don't appreciate this talk we're having. I don't appreciate you bringing your love-struck lackey here and I sure as hell don't appreciate having to watch him drool after you! I HATE that you're engaged with that prick, Maki, and so SUE ME because I'm not over you! So, are you happy now?! Because I sure as hell ain't!"

During Mitsui's tirade Koshino had been fighting to rein in his temper. With a few calming breaths, he replied, his voice thick from heavy breathing, "No, I'm not happy. I'm not happy, because you're not, when you're supposed to be. Just... tell me if there's anything I can do to make you happy again."

"You know damn well what to do, Hiro, but you won't do it."

Koshino bit his lip, his expression set in a frown. "You're right. Anything but that, then."

"Why are you so fucking nice, Hiroaki?!" Mitsui shouted, his hands gripping Koshino's shoulders with fierce strength, making the other man wince in pain. "I insult you, I shout at you, I'm friggin' picking a fight with you here! Yet..." His grip loosened, his face a mask of loneliness. "Can't I just hate you, Hiroaki? Can't you be just someone I can hate?"

At his words, Mitsui suddenly found himself sprawled on the floor, his head nearly hitting the coffee table. There was an exploding pain on his left jaw, and he looked up to find Koshino, his sweet, adventurous Koshino, standing over him and glaring for all he was worth.

"Get out of here, Mitsui. Get the hell out of here before I do something that we'll both regret."

The voice was quiet, but like cold steel. It ripped through Mitsui like a stab at the back. He felt confused, and betrayed.

He left quickly.

As the door shut closed, Koshino's knees buckled from under him. _If hating me is the only way, then I hope you'll hate me with every fiber, Hisashi. Or I'll never forgive myself for what I did to you tonight._

**±**

Sendoh soundlessly closed the door, and debated with himself if he should quickly go back to sleep, or comfort his Hiro-kun in the living room, who was clearly distressed by his actions toward Mitsui.

He was woken up when he thought he heard Koshino raise his voice, and when he got up to check, he was right. His Hiro-kun was engaged in a furious argument with the Senior Vice President, Mitsui Hisashi. 

He did not mean to eavesdrop on the conversation, but when he heard all the personal feelings that Mitsui was shouting at Koshino, he was struck by a realization, and it was not pretty.

He had always thought of Mitsui as self-assured, to say the least. He was good in his line of work. He was dedicated, he was intelligent, and he was charismatic. _He's gorgeous, too, I'll give him that. Maybe I can accept it more if it was him and Hiro-kun engaged, and not that Maki. Not that I wouldn't be jealous, but..._

_He's all that, and most probably much more. So, why didn't Hiro-kun just elope with him or something? It's obvious to me that Mitsui's got it bad for him, and that he cares for Mitsui, too. Does Hiro-kun love Maki so much that he would give up anyone? Anything?_

_And what about me? I keep asking him to give me a chance... Maybe that's what Mitsui did before... Will I..._

Sendoh had already made his way to the bed, and without looking, he sat, as if feeling the life seep out of him.

_Will I turn out to be like Mitsui once Hiro-kun leaves me for Maki?_

**±**

"I can't believe my eyes, but here you are! Am I a tensai, or what?!"

"Or what," Fujima muttered dryly. "What the hell are you doing here, Sakuragi?"

Sakuragi grinned smugly. "Same as you."

"Which is?" Fujima asked disinterestedly.

"Moping."

The reply came automatically. "I am not moping."

"Yes, you are."

"Am not."

"You're in your office at 1 am, Fujima. Care to explain that to me?"

"No."

"You're only reinforcing my theory on you."

"..."

"Ask me what it is."

Fujima closed his eyes, and took deep breaths. "I don't care, Sakuragi. Leave me alone."

"As I said in the bar earlier, you only live for your little office papers and stuff."

"That's not true."

Sakuragi raised his eyebrows at him, as if to say, "Yeah right."

"Why do I even bother to reply to you?!" Fujima said, exasperated.

The red-haired man remained silent, opting to stay seated on his boss's office table.

"I'm pathetic."

"..."

"What I'm doing is pathetic."

"Yeah. Devoting all your time to this..." Sakuragi waved his hands around, referring to Fujima's business plans and other documents. 

"I should get a life."

"Damn right."

"...but I have a life."

"...No you don't."

It was then that Fujima focused his blue eyes onto his comrade's, fastening them onto the redhead's features. "I used to, you know. But he wouldn't let me. Not anymore."

To Sakuragi, Fujima's glassy and slightly unfocused eyes told him that he was inebriated. He had never seen his boss so lost before, and he truly wondered what had made Fujima that way, to make him so far from the confident and in-control man that he knew and always admired. "I know," Sakuragi replied, his expression a study in quiet reflection. "We all hit bumps on the road, Fujima."

Fujima lowered his gaze, intently studying the very tiny hairs on the back of his hand.

A familiar snort was heard, followed by a well-known voice, "Didn't think you idiots'd be here as well. Why didn't anyone invite me to the drunk fest? I could use a beer or two right now."

"I'm not drunk, Mitchy. It's just Fujima."

"Well, well," he sighed, as he made his way to the two men. He sat on the table, facing Sakuragi, and leaned his head towards Fujima. "What's up with him?"

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here," Fujima mumbled, still intent on his hand.

"Okay. So what's up with you?"

"Nothing's up. Everything's down, down, d-down...Down, down. Doww~wwn..." [1] Fujima replied, singing the last word.

"Everyone's feeling shitty tonight," Mitsui muttered. "We should get him back into his condo."

"I think we need a drink."

"You, too?"

Sakuragi shrugged. "What? 's not as if there's a law against us drinking."

"Hn. I'll drive you all back to my condo. Let's drink. Let the egotistical jackass and his lackey pick up the pieces tomorrow."

Sakuragi did _not_ want to ask who Mitsui was talking about just yet. Maybe it will come up during the night.

**±**

While on the drive to Mitsui's place, the three of them failed to notice Fujima's mobile phone ringing softly.

**±±±**

**[1] **tune of "When All the Stars Were Falling," by Lisa Loeb

* * *

Finished 25 April 2004


	8. Cutting to the Chase

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk. I am not making money out of this, so please don't sue. No copyright infringement intended. Original part of the fiction is the property and is copyrighted to the author.

Warnings: bad language, angst, WAFF

Thank God I finally finished this part! falls over I'm making up for chapter seven, so I hope that the WAFF here is sufficient. Thank you for reading this fic, and for being very patient with me. I'm not the best person in updating, but I'm really trying! I hope you enjoy this, minna-san!

* * *

Loving Koshino  
from Kokoro no Kigen (Temper of Heart) Arc  
by AJ Maxwell

Chapter Eight: Cutting to the Chase

Due to the events of the past day _and_ the past night, Koshino barely slept. Instead, he stayed up to watch television, sitting on the same couch that Mitsui had just sat on that night. He didn't really watch for the sake of watching; he hoped that he could doze off at least, maybe catch a couple of hours' sleep. He fell asleep at past four. His internal clock, ever unrelenting, had him up and wide awake at exactly six in the morning.

Feeling too awful to even curse his luck, he called room service and ordered for breakfast. He thought that Sendoh would definitely be hungry upon waking up.

He went back to his room. He got out his towel, and went to the bathroom shortly after.

Upon finishing his morning rituals, he turned on his mobile phone to leave a voice message for Jin about sending pending work through e-mail, when it suddenly beeped, signaling a new text message.

It was from Sakuragi. _Oi Kosh. Me n Mitchy and Fujima won't be in the office today. Don't worry there's no problem. The business emergency's bogus. Ja ne._

Koshino blinked. He reread the words again, willing the message to make sense, but it still meant the same as how he read it. "What did he mean, 'bogus'?" he muttered. "What the hell...?"

Dialing the redhead's number, he paced the room until the phone was answered.

"Sakuragi, explain."

"As I told ya, boss," Sakuragi slurred, sounding both sleepy and quite drunk. "Me and the boys aren't goin' ta work today, 'coz there's really nuthin' ta work on. The data of the fake emergency's from one of the archives, way before Fujima's time. I s'gest you take a break, Kosh--"

"Give me Fujima," Koshino grated, trying to calm his nerves by pulling at his hair. "Is he there?"

"Jus' a sec..."

There was some shuffling heard from the other line, and some dismayed groans coming from two other people. There was thudding of heavy furniture, followed by the unmistakable sound of a hand trying to grip the mobile phone. "Hallo..." Fujima greeted, his voice breathy and a bit sing-song-y.

"Kenji," he bit out, his voice shaky and strained. "What's all this rubbish about the business emergency being fake?! Are you trying to make me have a heart attack here?!"

"No, no... Hiro don't be angry," Fujima said soothingly at the other end, still sounding out of it. "Calm down, okay? We all encounter bumps on the road. So just let go of your inner troubles and--"

"Kenji! Business emergency! Fake! Explain! NOW!"

There was silence for a short while, except for the faint sound of Fujima breathing. Finally, just as Koshino thought his brain would burst, Fujima replied, "I'm not in the best condition to explain that right now. Ask your father, or if you'd better not call overseas, ask Sendoh."

"S-Sendoh?!" His eyes bugged out. "B-but--"

"Bai-bai!" Fujima greeted cheerfully, like a chibi shoujo manga character, then promptly disconnected the line.

**±**

Sendoh opened his eyes. The curtains were drawn, and the only thing that provided the room with illumination was the lone streak of sunshine that escaped through the side of one curtain. It was hardly enough for him to guess what time it was, so he fumbled around for his mobile phone to check the time.

It was already nine in the morning.

He frowned at this. Yes, he usually had the tendency to wake up late, but his Hiro-kun's always been there to make sure he was up and running at a decent time for work. _Why didn't he wake me up? Is it because he thinks I'm ill?_

He was just about to go to the bathroom, to try and get his wits back from his drug-induced sleep, when the door opened.

It was his Hiro-kun, and he _did not _look at all pleased.

**±**

All throughout breakfast, Koshino remained silent, wordlessly sipping his cup of coffee. Sendoh, meanwhile, ate with gusto and devoured most of the food that Koshino ordered. He _was_ getting rather perturbed at his Hiro-kun's quietness, but he figured that it was caused by his argument with Mitsui the past night, and thus, did not directly concern him.

_Just a few more minutes, Hiro-kun. Let me finish eating first, and then I'll talk to you about that._

When he got to the point of sucking on the utensils, Koshino cleared his throat, and looked at Sendoh sharply. "I suggest you let the poor fork alone, Sendoh."

Sendoh grinned, already gaining back his good spirits from the hearty breakfast. He burped, but not loudly.

Koshino fought to roll his eyes at the poster child for happy-go-lucky in front of him. "Are you quite done? We have something important to discuss."

Sendoh looked at him innocently, wiping at the corners of his mouth with a linen napkin. "Right now?"

"What better time than now?"

He shrugged. "Okay. Shoot."

"I just called otousan earlier. Seems there's something about...the matter of the fabricated business emergency that urged me to leave for Hong Kong with you."

Sendoh smiled one of his wide smiles. "Really? How is Uncle Akira? I haven't heard from him all the while, and how is my father? Did he say anything?"

Koshino's eyes narrowed, his lips pursed. "Sendoh. Do you know anything about it?"

Blue eyes blinked slowly, feigning innocence. "...About what? Can you repeat that again?"

"Sendoh..." Koshino growled.

"Ah! Err..." He tapped his right foot, looking nervously at the other man before him. "How much do you know first?"

"Everything," was the ready answer.

He gulped. "Everything?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"Oh. Well...okay." He scratched his chin, absently noting that he needed to shave. "Yeah, I know about it. Uncle Akira told me. Anything else?"

Koshino crossed his legs and slowly leaned back onto the loveseat. Despite the relaxed pose, he still looked tense and ready to pounce. "Why did you ask my father to do that?"

Sendoh let out a breath. _Game over. Better to look serious for this, or else he'll never really believe me. _He stood up, and walked over to the couch where Koshino sat. Before the other man could protest, Sendoh was already sitting beside him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Koshino cried out. "Go back to your seat, and we'll talk about this like decent people!"

He forced a chuckle down, and said, "What's indecent about this, Hiro-kun? Really, you're acting like a prude or something."

"Sendoh, let me go!" Koshino snarled as he felt the taller man's arms wrap around him.

"Just let me hold you, okay? Just, please, let me hold you. I'll explain everything. I promise."

Sendoh didn't let go, even as Koshino squirmed and fought against him. In the end, Koshino relented, unaware of the defeated pout on his mouth. "Fine. Explain."

Ignoring the soreness on his chest and arms that he was sure would bruise later on, he began, "I did it to have you all to myself, to convince you to give me a chance, Hiro-kun. Uncle Akira's always known about my feelings for you. Back then, he dissuaded me. He said it wasn't the right time, that we were still too young. When I told him recently about you and Maki getting back together, when I told him how jealous I felt and how hopeless I thought I was, he came up with the plan. I didn't know about it at first; I only knew the day before we left."

In Sendoh's arms, Koshino remained quiet, but the tension in his limbs had all seeped away. He appeared to be lost in thought.

"What else do you want to know?" Sendoh prodded, wanting a reaction from the man nestled in his arms.

Koshino sighed. "It's just..."

Sendoh held him closer, tucking his head under his chin. "There's something else, but a different matter. I hope you won't get angry..."

"What is it?" came the soft inquiry.

"I heard your argument with Mitsui-san. I promise I didn't mean to listen in," he added quickly. "I heard you shouting and woke up."

Koshino shrugged, and sighed. His right cheek was pressed against Sendoh's chest. "Sorry about that. We really needed to settle things, Mitsui and I. It had to happen."

"...You hit him."

"You're having doubts," Koshino stated after a few moments.

"I really thought about it last night. It's not because you hit him, because wouldn't it just sound hypocritical, coming from the guy you nearly strangled to death and is still begging you to give him the time of day?"

A tolerating snort. "True..."

"I had doubts because Mitsui-san...well, I'm guessing he got into the picture, and then you still chose Maki over him. I was just wondering...heck, I was scared...what if it comes to the point where you leave me for him? I'm scared... I'm scared that I might never get over you and be like Mitsui-san."

A shrug, but not an unsympathetic one.

A pause. "I really wish you'd start calling me Akira again."

Koshino closed his eyes, feeling very comfortable in Sendoh's embrace. "All right. Akira. Actually, it was during one of our split-ups that Mitsui and I got together. We were interning for the main office at that time, while Shinichi was in the States taking care of some business. He never told me what business it was... He never told me that he'd be gone for more than half a year, and he never got in touch. So, I thought..."

It seemed kind of strange to Sendoh. There he was, holding his Hiro-kun, and instead of exchanging sweet nothings, they were talking about the other men in Koshino's life. He shrugged mentally. _It might seem weird--wrong, even. But I want to know all about him. That even for just a short while, we'd be able to share as much as we can of ourselves to each other. _

"...and then when he came back, he expected us to still be okay. But you wouldn't really be interested in this stuff."

"No, it's okay. I want to know these things, anyway."

Koshino shook his head, preferring to talk about such things at a different time. "So, what happened to your doubts?" he asked, changing the subject. "Do you still want that chance you were asking me about yesterday?"

"I know this sounds crazy, and maybe this is wrong, but...I'll chance it. I told you that I'll take anything that you can give, and I haven't changed my mind about that. I just...I want some time with you, Hiro-kun. I want to be able to hold you like this, and maybe more, if you'll let me. And I want you to speak to me, about everything and anything you want."

Sendoh felt the man in his arms sigh, and tucked the other's head under his chin. _This is it. What if he still says no? I remember what he said, when he thought I was asleep. He said he and Maki had dreams of their future together, dreams that he could not afford to turn his back to... But I'm not gonna make him do that. I just... It's just kind of like I'd be borrowing him from Maki from time to time, before they get married. And then when they get married, I'll...I'll just be his friend--best friend, if he'd allow me to be._

It was as if hours went past them, until Koshino broke the silence. "Akira?"

"Hai?"

Koshino gently untangled himself from Sendoh's arms, his face set in a determined expression.

Sendoh, meanwhile, felt like his insides were screaming at the action, that his Hiro-kun was moving away from him, making him feel so hopeless, and the decision so final. But before he was able to protest, before he was able to move and put his arms around Koshino again, he found the other's index finger over his lips to silence him.

"I'm going to try my best to give you an answer today, okay, Akira?" Koshino said softly, yet firmly. "I need some time to think things through."

Although Sendoh concluded that he could still hope, he was not fully comforted by what the other man said. _Are you only delaying the inevitable, Hiro-kun? Are you only delaying this because you're not comfortable rejecting me? _

"Okay, Akira?"

Sendoh swallowed his trepidation, and nodded once. "Okay."

**±**

It was stupid. He knew he should not have promised that, should not have given such a short time limit. Hell, he should have just screamed no so that he didn't have to think, didn't have to consider. He should have said no so that his life would have been less complicated. He should have said no, so that his life would go back to the way it was. _Less complicated, structured, reliable, goal-oriented, focused, predictable, no surprises whatsoever, no irritating idiots dogging my every move, no spiky-haired pervert trying to cop a feel inside every elevator or relatively deserted place, no unannounced morning pick-ups, no regular lunch-outs, no incriminating and pointless memo every now and then, no teasing, no blatant ogling...no tenderness nor thoughtfulness nor devoted warmth--_

_But there ARE those things!_ Koshino argued with himself. _Shinichi's always been tender and thoughtful and devoted and warm...well, whenever we were officially together. But..._

_Why DID Akira do all this? He said he wanted to be with me. He said he was willing to take the chance, even if in the end he might only get hurt. Why is he doing this? Doesn't he know that he's only making his life complicated, that he's only setting himself up for getting hurt? Why is he doing this? I... I want to find out why, but...but what if it's another joke? What if he's just tricking me into--no. NO. He was really sincere earlier. I believe him. I really believe him, and I want to give him a chance._

_Maybe that's the reason why I'm having such a hard time deciding? Because I want to give him a chance, when all rational thought tells me that it will only lead to an unmanageable mess. He sure went to a lot of trouble for this Hong Kong trip, to get me away from Shinichi and have me all to himself for a while. _

_But WHY do I want to give him a chance? Having him that way in my life will be...CHEATING on Shinichi._

_Does that shrink into your thick head, Koshino Hiroaki?! You'd be CHEATING on Maki Shinichi if you go through with this, you idiot! _

"Shit. I'd be cheating on him, and I already said I'd marry him..."

_And what about otousan's involvement in all this? He's always disapproved of my relationship with Shinichi, saying that I shouldn't be consorting with direct competition, which is odd coming from him, because he's always said that I should "keep all lines open for future possibilities, that a competitor today might be an ally tomorrow"..._

Koshino suddenly stood ramrod straight from his pacing on the floor. "That IS odd. But then, he's always disapproved of everything about me. I only wonder why he helped Akira--"

_Because Akira's his favorite, you idiot. He'd rather have him as a son than you._

"Oh yeah," he murmured, surprisingly not feeling even the least bit stung at the thought.

_So...what am I going to do with Shinichi? I don't feel comfortable with the thought that I'd be cheating on him if I say yes to Akira, but what should I do? Should I break things off with him first? But then, that will already be making a choice. But then again, if I don't, then I'd be cheating._

_There's no way around it then. It's either break up with him or cheat on him._

"But I don't want to cheat on him!" Koshino almost wailed. He sat back down from his pacing.

_But I can't possibly have both. That would just be selfish, right?_

"Damn this. NOW I'm selfish. I always avoided being selfish..."

_..._

"This thing with Akira is _really_ giving me a migraine..."

**±**

Sendoh could hear Koshino pacing in the other bedroom. The floor was carpeted, but he could hear the frustrated stomps. Even though every audible stomp made his heart stop, he couldn't help chuckling at the image that popped into his mind. "He hasn't changed a bit. He used to pace like that, too, when we were kids," he said softly to himself.

_I wonder what he's thinking about now. ...Well, I DO know that he's thinking about my offer, but I wonder what's exactly going on in his mind that makes him stomp his feet just so?_

He leaned further back on the headboard, and thought, _ What if--IF ever it happens--what if he actually gives me a chance? What would I do then? Am I really ready? _Then he snorted, frowning at his thinking. _OF COURSE I'm ready. I've been ready after several months in the US with Rukawa. I've been ready ever since I was with him, enduring his company and trying to love him. I've been ready ever since I realized that I couldn't, because the one I loved was left at home, living a life so far away from mine._

_I always dreamed about going back to Hiro-kun. I always wondered how happy I could be if I was with him instead of someone else. I always wondered how it would feel like, to have him in my arms, and his head resting on my chest. I always wondered how it would feel like, to have his arms hugging me back, instead of remaining folded across his chest in indifference._

_It's been years since I left Japan with Rukawa. I can't say that those years were all wasted--we really did try, Rukawa and I. I know he doesn't love me as he kind of claims he is. Following me and trying to win me back were only because he wanted someone with him. I AM sorry that he is left alone again, but..._

_But I can't just pretend everything's all right when I know better. I KNEW, all those seven years. It took me such a long time, but now I'm here. And even if this caused so many troubles for everyone else, I don't think I will ever regret coming back and taking a chance on him._

_Yeah, well. Maybe it's silly for some people. Why gamble on one thing when I might lose everything else? _

_I never really had anything. My basketball career...well, I love playing basketball. I used to live and breathe the game. I still play sometimes, just to keep in shape. I DO miss playing professionally, but..._

_But I think Hiro-kun is worth it. He's worth everything._

_...And if he decides not to give me a chance? Then, at least I tried, instead of staying the way I was. And at least, we'd be friends. At least he wouldn't hate me anymore._

_I hope he makes the best decision._

**±**

It was as if there was a time bomb ticking beside his ears, and every second that passed escalated his nervousness, slowly leading to hysteria.

He blinked a few times, willing himself not to scream.

"What if I just tossed a coin?" he asked aloud.

He released a puff of air out of sheer frustration. He still hadn't come to a decision, and his brain had already stopped working.

Right then, his mind was an absolute blank--except for the imaginary ticking time bomb, of course.

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock._

"Ngrrrr..." he gritted his teeth.

_Koshino Hiroaki, you idiot! Think, dammit!_

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock._

"Okay, where was I again?" he muttered under his breath. "Oh yeah. The coin toss. No no no! No fucking coin toss is going to decide this! I should decide. I should... I should... Where was I again? Oh yeah. But I already know that I want to give him a chance, right? Or else, why would I have such a hard time saying no? Right. So, I want to give him a chance--but that would be cheating! ...Shit this! Here I go _again_! There really is no going around this, is there?! ...But what if I just say no? That's just a two-letter word; it'd be easy to say. I'll just say, N-O, and that's it, right? Right? Right...but I already established that I want to give him a chance..." he trailed off. Then, his eyes widened. "THAT DOESN'T MEAN I WANT TO CHEAT, DOES THAT?!!" he blurted out, horrified.

_Riiing! Riiing! Riiing!_

For a moment, Koshino panicked about the time bomb going off in his head, but after several more rings, he realized that it was only the telephone. He sighed audibly in relief.

"Hello? Koshino Hiroaki, speaking."

"Koshino-san?" Jin greeted, in his professional secretary mode. "I just received a message for you, from a certain Takato Riki. Do you know him?"

Koshino's brows knitted into a frown. "Did you say Takato?"

"Hai, Koshino-san."

"It's...vaguely familiar, but... I don't know. I've encountered a few people named Takato, but never a Takato Riki. I think."

"Hmm, that's strange," Jin murmured thoughtfully.

"Well, what _did_ he say?"

"He said he wanted to talk to you privately, but he wouldn't say the reason why. He just said it was about a delicate matter that concerned you."

The V on Koshino's forehead dipped lower.

"I didn't really want to tell you about it, because he was so secretive. Besides, I thought, what if it was just a prank call? But then he sounded really serious, so I decided to let you handle it."

"Why, thank you, Soichiro," Koshino mumbled dryly.

"Did anything wrong happen there?"

"It's just..."

"...Well?"

He sighed heavily. "It's nothing. Thanks anyway."

"If you say so."

**±**

Fujima Kenji gargled mouthwash for the second time that day, and then spit it out.

_My head hurts... I feel like vomiting my brains out..._

The past night was a blur to Fujima. He vaguely remembered Sakuragi taunting him in the office, but he couldn't recall anymore when Mitsui joined them, and when their drinking fest had begun.

He couldn't remember how much he drank, but based on how awful his hangover was, he'd guess that he drank quite a lot.

_And those two idiots didn't stop me! What were they thinking, getting drunk on a weeknight? How unprofessional!_

But he was among the unprofessional, so he couldn't reprimand his subordinates. And to top it all off, he was the most drunk of them all.

_I hate drinking! I never drank, not even when Shinich left me... So, maybe his engagement is a more special occasion?_

He rummaged through his medicine cabinet for aspirin, and then downed a couple of them at once.

When he was feeling better, he went back to the couch, which was already vacated by his two guests, and looked for his briefcase and mobile phone.

"Aw, come on, Fujima!" It was Sakuragi. "You aren't gonna work on office files, are you?"

"No, I'm not," he replied absently. He opened his briefcase and took out some papers.

"I thought this was our day off," Mitsui pointedly protested.

"The weekends are sufficient enough for day off."

"Don't be a spoilsport, Fujima!" The redhead whined.

He closed his briefcase with a sharp click, and closed his eyes. _What AM I thinking? I just got drunk off my ass last night, and here I am trying to work? Actually, we CAN afford to have a day off right now, since the company's running smoothly. _He pushed his briefcase away from him. _I should stop turning to my work to forget my troubles,_ he thought resolutely. _I SHOULD just forget about my troubles. Shinichi's not my concern anymore. If he doesn't want to listen to me--and he never listens to me, anyway--then I'll just have to forget him and move on. Right? Right._

Sakuragi and Mitsui sighed in relief, as it appeared to them that Fujima finally heeded their words. Sakuragi slyly moved to grab Fujima's briefcase and stowed it in some shadowy corner. Mitsui, meanwhile, was about to discreetly pocket the mobile phone and turn it off, when it rang.

Fujima's eyebrows shot up when he heard his phone ring. Thinking that it was Koshino calling again, he did not bother to check the number. "Moshi moshi."

...

"T-Takato-sensei? B-but... I never thought I'd hear from you again."

**±**

The coin fell on a distinct thump on the carpeted floor.

It was a coin toss.

_But I'm not doing THE coin toss. I'm just...tossing a coin._

Koshino pouted at the thought.

He'd been tossing the coin listlessly for the past five minutes or so, trying to come to a decision (or delay the inevitable). He'd already forgotten what choice he assigned to either sides of the coin, and he didn't really care. He was just...

_Oh gods. I really AM just delaying the inevitable, huh._

"A cheating bastard, that's what I'd be when I give Akira the answer," he whispered, his gaze on nothing in particular was very stern. "Am I ready for that? Am I...will I be able to live with myself with that thought?"

And then he pondered some more.

**±**

Sendoh edgily flipped on random channels, intent on finding something that would distract him from his current apprehension.

Lunch had already come and gone, and it was almost time for dinner. He tried calling Koshino for lunch, but when he heard the growling that came from beyond his Hiro-kun's door, he wisely stepped back and left the other man to his...musings, if it could be called that.

_Or maybe I SHOULD have called him for lunch. That might've helped him calm down_, he thought worriedly, and then, _Nah. And risk his wrath? I might be slow on the uptake at times, but I'm not stupid._

He channel-surfed some more, a few programs catching his attention for a bit, and then he resignedly flipped on a channel showing a rerun of a Korean soap opera. _Ch. TV these days..._

He was gradually falling asleep from the cheesy repeated calling of the hero and heroine's names, when he felt that something was different. He was instantly awake.

"It's good that you didn't choose to fall asleep instead," Koshino remarked tiredly.

"Hiro-kun..."

Koshino was shaking his head, palming something in his right hand.

His actions were making Sendoh's stomach queasy, and his looking so bedraggled didn't help any. Finally, Sendoh ventured a guess, even if that was the last thing that he wanted to do. "No? ...It's okay, Hiro-kun. Really. I understand. We're still friends, right?" He pasted a smile on his face, and nailed it for good measure.

"No. It's..."

Sendoh blinked, his heart doing a Metallica song, with the guitar riffs sounding like a helicopter. "No? As in, no-no, or no to no, so..." He breathed out the word, "...yes?"

Koshino chewed on his lower lip, looking really perplexed. Finally, he looked into Sendoh's blue eyes. "Akira?"

"Hai?"

He tossed a gold coin. It landed on the floor. Tails.

Sendoh blinked again, looking at the coin as if it was a rattle snake about to bite him. "Ehrm... So...?" He looked questioningly at Koshino. "What does that mean?" And then his eyes widened in indignation as he realized what his Hiro-kun had done. "You... A COIN TOSS?!?!?!" he sputtered. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!?! Is that all I'm worth to you?!?! A coin toss?!?!?! You're deciding our lives based on flipping a--!!!"

"You...IDIOT!" Koshino interrupted his offended tirade, and lunged at him.

"Hiro-kun!" he exclaimed, surprised. He squirmed and tried to free himself, but to no avail. "Hiro-kun, let go!"

He twisted some more, both of them struggling against each other for what seemed like forever, then he suddenly stopped. "What did you say?"

Koshino hesitated a little, then spoke too fast for him to understand.

"What was that again?"

An exasperated huff. "Are you deaf?"

He rolled his eyes. "No. You speak too fast. Say it again."

Koshino pouted, his face doing a slow burn.

"What?"

Then Koshino buried his face in Sendoh's shirt, answering, "Both sides mean yes, you idiot."

**±**

**To:**

Shinri Ayase - Thanks for your comment on the seventh chapter. =)

Kadzuki Fuchoin - 's alright! I hope you enjoy this part.

SethRyne - Thanks so much! =) I'm really happy that you've enjoyed reading this fic. I hope I didn't make you wait too long for this.

* * *

Finished 06 July 2004 


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